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739

Paint Questions

Answered

A REFERENCE ENCYCLOPEDIA ANSWERING KNOTTY PROBLEMS

THAT CONFRONT THE PAINTER, DECORATOR,

AND PAINT MANUFACTURER IN

THEIR EVERYDAY WORK

WITH COMPLETE TOPICAL INDEX

TTbe. painters /ftaeasine

Hew Vorfi

Ube Uvi^c papers publiebing Co, %tb,
Xonbon, VS. C. Bn0lan&

The Painters Magazine
Entered at Stationers Hall

Printed by

John G. Ropes & Co.

255 Pearl St.

Now York, N. Y., U. S. A.

PREFACE.

For several years past, one of the most valuable features of The
Painters Magazine has been its department of Questions Answered,
to which its subscribers have been invited and encouraged to send
the various knotty problems and difficulties that they have met with
in their daily business. No effort nor expense has been spared to
answer every question submitted, and to supply the subscribers with
thoroughly up-to-date and practical information based on present day
American usage. The fact that questions have been received from
every part of the Uuited States and Canada, as well as from many
other parts of the globe where the English language is spoken, shows
how fully this feature of The Painters Magazine has been appreci-
ated.

We haye long believed that these practical answers to actual ques-
^ tions on almost every paint topic would become still more valuable

to the progressive craftsmen if they were gathered together in such
form that they might be always at hand, ready for reference ; and the
present volume, in which 739 of them are gathered together, is the
outcome of that belief.

In reprinting the Questions answered from The Painters Magazine
we have omitted the initials and location of the questioners, and in-
stead of reprinting their letters, we ha^e stated concisely the condi-
tions of the particular case concerning which information was re-
quested, or have summarized it in the title of the paragraph or section.

The index, which will be found at the end of the book, has been
made very complete, so that any particular subject may be readily
found. We would suggest, in looking up any special information
wanted, that all the paragraphs referred to in the index should be
consulted.

It is hoped that this book will meet with the approval of the craft
at large, and it is hereby dedicated to the painters and decorators
throughout the entire Country.

The publishers would esteem it a favor if any of the readers would
call their attention to any errors which may have crept into the book
in order that they may be corrected in subsequent editions. The
amount of detail involved in the preparation of this book is so great
that we can scarcely dare hope that it is entirely free from errors,
though we believe it to be as nearly correct in every particular as it
is possible to make it.

New York, 1904.

158547

739

Paint Questions Answered

Preparing Quick Drying Flake White for Striping.

To make flake white flow freely from " the striping pencil, mix a
few drops of a good, pale rubbing varnish with your flake white as it
comes from the tube or can, and should it be very stiflf, thin with a few
-drops of turps before adding the varnish.

— 2 —

Remedy for Clouded Effect of Stain and Varnish.

To remove a cloudy and uneven effect on old furniture that has been
cleaned off, stained and varnished, take powdered pumice and water,
and with a piece of felt rub down the varnish until it becomes dead flat,
then rinse with sponge and clear water and dry with chamois^ skin.
Now glaze the furniture in oil or water and use the mottler to have
the glaze good and uniform, and when thoroughly dry apply your var-
nish, but not before you have tried it on a small piece. Your stain
probably dried too rapidly in the first place, therefore the clouded
effect.

— 3 —
Madder Lakes and Alizarine Lakes.

The madder plant, 'vyhich was extensively cultivated in Greece, Hol-
land and the south of France up to 25 years ago, and from whose glu-
cosides the coloring matter of madder lake was derived, has given
way to the coloring matter artificially manufactured from the anthra-
cene of coal tar, the chief coloring matter, alizarine and purpurin,
being present in both the madder plant and in coal tar. Without
going into the details of their manufacture, we can safely say, on the
basis of tests made by reliable parties, extending upwards of ten years,
that alizarine lake, well made, is superior in point of brilliancy and per-
manency to true madder lake, especially when used as an oil color, or
when protected by varnish. We know of several cases where alizarine
red lake has stood exposure to strong light for nearly 10 years without
any other change than that brought about by the bleaching of the oil.
Though not originally as brilliant as French carmine, it will outlast
the latter four to one in point of stability of color.

6 729 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED.

— 4 —

Filling in of Cracks in Plastered Walls.

Trouble occurred in repainting an old plastered wall, the filled-in
cracks showing much darker than the rest of the surface. From the
statement of the painter it appeared that he had simply cut out the
cracks and filled them with a plaster of paris putty without, however,
taking the precaution to stop the suction in the new plaster, with
which the cracks were filled. While it is perfectly proper to fill in cut-
out cracks in old walls with plaster, which is mixed with a thin glue
size, the plaster should, as soon as it becomes hard, be coated with
white shellac varnish, or better still, fill in the shrinkage with hard
glazier's putty (previously mixed with some dry lead and a trifle of
good japan). This dry, sandpaper down to the level of the wall and
coat the putty with paint of the color that is on the wall. Should
one coat dry too flat, give another, and if necessary, still another, until
the filled-in portions match the old effect. When this is done there
will be no absorption, and ponsequently the old cracks will not show
through after repainting. We do not think that the cause of the
trouble was either in the plaster or in the paint, for in that case defects
should have been found on the rest of the surface.

— 5 —

Oak Graining Over White Paint.

In the case of some oak graining over white paint the graining color
and varnish scaled off. It was required to do the work over, without
going to the expense of burning off, and yet avoid the same trouble
of scaling oflF to the ground coat.

What is wanted is to know how to get the whole thing off, new
varnish and graining coat and the old paint, in the quickest and cheap-
est way other than burning off. In other words, what is required is a
good, cheap formula for a paint remover. Well, there are a good
many — some of them are good and some not so good. We will give
you some good ones. They are, any and all of them, very easily made
and will cost you but a very few pennies per pound to make.

Take of pure caustic soda, that would be 98 per cent, goods, a pound.
Dissolve that in two pounds of warm water. The warmer the water
the quicker it will dissolve. While this is dissolving, mix in another
receptacle two ounces of common starch, preferably corn starch, and
two ounces of china clay with two pounds of cold water. Add the
water a little at a time, not all at once.

When the soda solution gets cold mix the two together, and stir till
they come to a smooth paste.

Apply this to the paint surface to be removed, spread it on rather
thick ; that is, smear the surface well over with the paste. Let it re-
main a few minutes, till it has done its work. You can easily see by a
trifling examination when the paint is well loosened. Then it can all
be removed with a scraper, putty-knife or an old brush. Clean off to
the wood, and after you have scraped it well to get all the paste out, it
will be best to wash it off with clean water. If there is still any evi-
dence of the paste left (this will be shown by the soapy taste or feel to

739 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED, 7

the fingers) it will be best to wash the surface in weak vinegar. Sim-
ply take a little vinegar and water, and with a cloth wash over the
surface and dry it. This is not likely to be necessary, if you have
properly handled the paste.

Another remover is made by making a strong caustic soda solution,
as in the previous case. Mix this to a brushing paste with terra-alba,
or for that matter whiting will do as well. Spread this over the sur-
face to be removed and let it dry there. Then wash off with hot water.
Still another is made in this way: Dissolve eight pounds of caustic
soda in five gallons of water. Best to use hot water, as stated in the
above. Take ten pounds of whiting and make it into a very stiff paste
with cold water, .add to this about four gallons of the caustic soda
solution. Mix in another receptacle two and a half pounds of potato
.starch with a little water, just enough to make a paste of it. Add this
to the other and mix well. Don't add hot water to the starch. Use
cold water only. After this is mixed it is made much better by run-
ning through a paint mill. You will find this makes a good remover.

To make a liquid remover, take a quart of the caustic soda solution
in the formula just given and add to it four gallons of water. That
will take off almost anything.

Another liquid remover is made by taking three pounds of con-
centrated lye (potash) and dissolving it in twelve pounds of water
and adding to this two pounds of acetate (gray) of lime. Boil these
gently and let settle and pour off the clear supernatent liquor.

Any of those given will answer the purpose for which they are in-
tended. When your old paint, etc., is off, go to work building up the
ground coat for graining. Keep your ground flat and you will have
no trouble. It is very likely that the trouble in the old job was due
to the graining being put on over old paint, which might have
been a little greasy, as is usually the case with old paint on the in-
side of a house. It may not have seemed greasy, but it might have
been so nevertheless, and if the graining color was water ground,
which is very likely to have been the case, you at once see where all
that trouble came from. The graining color dried on that surface
which was very slightly oily or greasy. Then came the varnish coat,
which pulled the distemper coat off the ground — rather, off the oily or
greasy surface.

— 6 —

Amount of Thinners Required for White Lead Paint and Zinc

White Paint for Exterior Use.

The general consensus of opinion among practical painters of our
acquaintance is that 100 lbs. of strictly pure white lead in oil should
be of proper consistency for the finishing coat when thinned with 4f
gallons raw linseed oil and J gallon liquid drier^ and that 100 lbs. of
strictly pure zinc white in oil is of the right consistency for finishing
when thinned with 7J gallons raw Unseed oil and i gallon liquid drier,
the percentage of drier to be changed in each case, according to the
conditions of atmosphere and temperature.

8 729 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED.

Painting on Cement Surfaces.

We do not know how long a cemented surface should stand exposed
before it is safe to paint on, as it depends very much on the quality of
the cement. It is safe to say that after it has stood for a year, there
will be no risk of paint being thrown off, provided the surface is well
washed and rinsed with clear water and allowed to dry.

For comparatively fresh cemented surface the sulphuric acid treat-
ment is safest and best. To one gallon of water take 12 fluid ounces
of oil of vitriol and wash the surface with this solution. This treat-
ment will turn any excess of lime in the cement into sulphate of lime
and give a uniformly absorbent surface to paint upon. If the surface
has been made and exposed for a month or so, a wash made by dissolv-
ing four ounces of bicarbonate of ammonia in two gallons of water
will be found more efficient than the dilute sulphuric acid wash, and
the surface may be primed as soon as it has become dry.

As to the mixing and thinning of the paint for the various coats, we
should suggest a similar treatment as is usual for preparing paint for
plastered walls ; that is, an oily priming in all cases, succeeding coats
depending on the finish desired, flat or glossy.

— 8 —

Enamel Paint on Cement Surfaces.

Enamel paint should not be applied direct to cement surface, but
should be treated same as a plaster will, for reasons of economy and
durability. We do not know of any enamel preparation that will
stand the action of cement, when the surface is not treated as above
stated.

— 9 —

Testing Turpentine for Purity.

The very simplest method is to draw a small portion of the suspected
article into a clean vessel and place a drop thereof on a clean piece of
white paper (letter file paper is best) and watch for the disappearance
of the spot made by the drop. Unless the spot has disappeared com-
pletely and the paper assumed its original condition within five or
six minutes the turpentine is either adulterated with mineral oil or it
is fatty to such an extent that it is unfit for the use of the coach painter
or for inside )vork. If there be a decided grease spot, that will not
disappear in 10 to 15 minutes, admixture with mineral oil may be taken
for granted.

It would be well for the -purchaser of large quantities of turpentine
to provide himself with a Baume hydrometer for testing turps, a hydro-
meter jar and a thermometer, when he can fill the jar with turps, bring
the same to a temperature of 60 deg. F., insert the hydrometer, and if
the goods be pure the specific gravity indicated must not be less than
0.863 "or more, than 0.866, the exact specific gravity of American
spirits of turpentine being 0.8643 ^^ that temperature, and the weight
of a United States standard gallon 7 lbs. 3^ ounces, though the com-
mercial custom makes 7 lbs. equal one gallon of turpentine.

rS9 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED. g

Removing Dust, Dirt and Smoke from Painted Ceilings and Walls.

Make very liberal use of dust brush, sponge, brush, soap and water
and last, but not least, elbow-grease.

Harmony in Graining in Maple.

If you wish to go to the trouble of graining the beads in the casings
in a room that is to be grained in maple, dark cherry will do very well,
but if you simply wish to paint the beads to produce a harmonious ef-
fect with the graining in maple, we should advise you to use a silver
gray tint' or an ivory tint, made with raw sienna, or a subdued tint of
■old rose. A very pretty effect can be had by bronzing the beads with
aluminum or gold.

12 —

Most Permanent Black.
Real ivory black resists strong light permanently.

— 13 —

Removing Paint from Hardwood Furniture.

Try a mixture o£ two parts of aqua ammonia of- 18 deg. and one
-part spirits of turpentine, which will soften the paint so that it can be
removed with the spatula or scraper. However, you must be careful
not to dig into the wood, but rather make several applications of the
mixture, and finally use a stiff brush to remove the paint from the
grain of the wood. The ^turpentine in the mixture prevents the am-
monia from raising the wood fibre. When every particle of paint is
removed, wash the surface once more with clear turps and allow to
dry thoroughly before attempting the usual finishing process.

— 14 —

White Spots on Varnished Surfaces.

When varnish contains very little oil, or when made from inferior
material or when it is made, as a prominent chemist and varnish maker
puts it, from resinate of lime only, then it will always show this unde-
sirable effect.

— 15 —
Composition of Flesh Color.

Flesh color is usually made by mixing French ochre and English
vermilion, but the principal requisites are that the painter has the nec-
essary talent to paint faces.

— 16 —

Durable Paint for the Interior of Iron Storage Tanks for Turpentine.

We should say that any paint which is composed of a medium that
is insoluble in turpentine and not softened by the contact with tur-
pentine, and which will adhere to the iron, would keep the liquid from
becoming discolored. Shellac varnish would, most likely, suit best,
•especially if mixed with a colorless pigment.

lo 72^ PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED.

_i7_
Testing the Purity of Gold Leaf.

Put a few drops of nitric acid upon a piece of glass and place thereon
a small piece of the leaf. Pure gold leaf will not be affected by the
acid, while other metals that may be mixed with it will go into solu-
tion. A small percentage of copper is usually present in the best gold
leaf, not as an adulterant, but in order to make it more workable.

— 18 —
Removing Varnish from Old Oil Paintings on Canvas.

Under no condition must ammonia, no matter how much diluted,
be employed. Dust off the picture carefully, then wash with luke-
warm water, then make a stiff lather from shaving soap, which is
applied over the whole painting in a thick layer. Allow this to remain
for about ten minutes, then wash off the lather with a stiff brush, rinse
with clean water and wipe with chamois skin. When thoroughly dry,
dip a clean linen rag into nitro-benzol and go over the painting several
times, always using a clean piece of the cloth for every new applica-
tion, until the cloth remains clean. Then give the painting a thin coat
of pure olive oil, and after a time a coat of good pale varnish.

— 19 —
Finishing Bowling Alleys.

While our experience in this line is rather limited, we know of several
bowling alleys recently put up in the basements of club houses, the
beds of which were made of hard maple 4 inches by i^ inches, laid
in cement, edges up, the boards first oiled and firmly nailed together,
the surface planed and smooth sandpapered. Then a coat of hot,
boiled linseed oil was given, which, when well absorbed, was followed
by an oil and wax finish, made by melting one pound of yellow bees-
wax and adding thereto one gallon boiled linseed oil and one quart
spirits of turpentine, well rubbed in with a stiff floor brush and pol-
ished with soft felt and rotten stone. The side panels and other wood-
work were finished in the usual manner in natural wood.

— 20 —

Preparing Canvas or Muslin for Photographers' Background.

Select close grained muslin and tack on to frame. Do not
stretch too tight, as the muslin will shrink when sized. Apply one or
two coats of a size made as follows: One pound ordinary gelatine is
dissolved in two gallons of water, and to this one-quarter pound mo-
lasses and one-half pound bolted whiting is added, thoroughly stirred
and strained through cheese cloth, while warm. When dry, smooth
sandpaper, if necessary. The distemper color should be prepared as
follows: Mix two pounds of bolted English cliffstone paris white in
two quarts of cold water, making a fine, smooth paste ; add to this a
few ounces of ultramarine blue, ground in water, stirring it in thor-
oughly: then add a few ounces of lampblack, also ground in water
(distemper color), or as much as is necessary to produce desired tint

729 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED. n

(which can be tested by slow drying) ; then add one and a half ounces
of good white glue, that has been previously dissolved in warm water,
and strain the mass through straining muslin. If the distemper tint
should set too quickly reduce the percentage of glue or add a trifle glu-
cose syrup.

— 21 —

Painting Plastered Brick Walls.

It was required to paint a house that had been built twenty years,
the exterior of which was veneered with brick and coated with lime
plaster, making a mastic finish. It had been first washed with lime and
water, then with lime and cement, neither of which gave satisfaction,
because nearly all came off. To give advice it is necessary to know
how solidly the plaster adheres and how heavy the coating is. If the
plaster is still solid on the brick, the penetrating linseed oil would not
loosen it, as brick is very absorbent, and if the oil penetrated deep
enough it would act rather as a binder than a remover. It would be
well to ask the owner's permission to let you try a patch with
linseed oil in an out of the way corner. We have coated a similar sur-
face to the one described with white lead and linseed oil paint, and
have had the best of results. It was done two years ago on the north
side of a building, and we first broomed all the loose wash off, then
rinsed the wall with water, and before it was quite dry put on the
priming coat. If the owner is obstinate and will not have any oil
color used, and you do not care to lose the job, then try one of those
washable distemper paints for outside work that are so largely ad-
vertised under various names, or prepare a wash on the following
plan : Slake in a large barrel half a bushel of fresh burnt lime, cover
while slaking to keep in the steam. When nearly cool, strain the liquid
through a fine sieve and add seven pounds common salt, previously
dissolved in hot water. Cook three pounds ground rice in water to a
thin, creamy paste, and stir into the liquid while hot. Now mix
half a pound of bolted paris white in water and add it also. One
pound of pale blue is soaked in water over night, then boiled in the
usual water bath and thinned with five gallons boiling hot water, all
of which is added to the liquid in the barrel, which is allowed to stand
well covered for a few days. This wash is applied as hot as possible,
kept in a kettle on a portable furnace during the operation. It is
weatherproof and washable and will stand many years. May be tinted
with limeproof colors, such as ochre, ultramarine blue, drop black, etc.

Effect of Freezing on Fresh Oil Paint.

As linseed oil does not actually freeze unless the temperature
is less than i8 deg. F. below zero, and as exterior house painting
is not carried on in such frigid weather, there can be no actual
injury to paint in freezing weather, excepting that the drying of
the fresh paint is retarded. As a matter of course, another coat of
paint should not be applied until the previous one is thoroughly dry,
which, under the conditions named, may require weeks to become
hard enough. A moderate use of turps will accelerate the drying

12 739 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED.

and hardening of the paint in Winter weather, and 75 per cent, boiled
linseed oil and 25 per cent, turps is the proper proportion for the
under coats, while for the finishing coat the turps should be cut down
to from 10 to 15 per cent. Another safeguard is to hold the paint
medium thin and brush it out to the utmost.

— 23 —
Turpentine in Linseed Oil Paints.

The painter can do a much neater job in exterior house paint-
ing by a moderate use of turpentine, because it will allow the paint
to lie down closer to the surface and level itself more uniformly, pro-
<lucing a sort of linseed oil varnish effect. The painter must exercise
his judgment, as conditions of surface and the state of the weather
have considerable bearing upon the amount of turps that can safely
bo ejnployed. When the lumber is soft and spongy no turps should
be used in the priming coat, but for hard and close grained wood, raw
linseed oil, four-fifths, and one-fifth of turps is better than all boiled
oil. (Jur experience teaches us that for priming new work boiled oil
is a failure, because boiled oil is really a varnish without gum or
resin — that is, when properly boiled, otherwise it would be no good at
all, anyway. Good kettle boiled linseed oil may safely be employed
with anywhere from 5 to 10 per cent, of turpentine in finishing coats,
and the binding properties or durability will not be injured by such
portion of turpentine.

Chemical tests and experience have demonstrated that a paint film
from good boiled oil and turpentine, 90 parts of the former to 10 parts
of the litter, is less porous when dry than a paint film from linseed
oil, raw or boiled, alone. It would be idle for us to give any set rules
for the proper proportions of linseed oil, turps and driers, and we must
leave this to the judgment of the painter, who will vary the propor-
tions according to the nature of the pigment employed, and it stands
lo reason that burnt umber, for instance, does not require over one-
fourth as much drier as lampblack or vandyke brown. In whatever
paint a large portion of liquid driers are employed, turps must be
omitted entirely or correspondingly reduced.

-a4-
Preparation of Liquid Glue.

Two. ounces borax are dissolved in one gill of boiling hot water,
and while this is kept boiling, one ounce calcined potash is added ;
this solution is then stirred into a boiling solution of one pound animal
glue and one quart of water. If too heavy, it may be thinned with
hot water. Will not sour or mold.

— as-
Painting Exposed Plaster Figures.

Some stucco figures for the facade of a suburban house were given
three coats hot boiled linseed oil before being placed in position. The
stucco was perfectly dry and hard, but the oil came oflF in shreds, al-
though the facade was not afterward painted.

r39 PAfNT QUESTIONS ANSWERED. ij

To coat articles of plaster three times with hot boiled oil is rather
barbarous treatment, and it is not surprising that the plaster figures
rebel and shed their skin. If you have that kind of work again give
only one coat of three parts oil and one part turpentine, and when
this is well dried give another coat, but only one coat, of half-flat
paint or color. You must remember, however, that there is no paint
of any kind that will stand or wear for any great length of time on
exposec;! plaster paris stucco.

— 26 —

- Blistering of Paint on New Floors.

All the floors of a large new house were painted in November. The
first and third story were leased out, but the second story was not oc-
cupied or heated. The floors of the tenanted rooms, three months later,
were in good condition, while that of the unoccupied part was full of
blisters and could be scraped oflF with a putty knife, although all the
paint came out of the same package.

If the builder had given the whole house a good warming the blis-
tering of the paint would not have taken place. In the first place the
rapid putting up of new buildings, the false economy of not heating
new houses thoroughly and uniformly and the poorly seasoned lum-
ber employed all tend toward the same end. The tenanted portions
are heated and the expelled moisture is confined to the unoccupied
portions. Result: A swelling of the sashes, warping of doors. Wall
paper and stucco become moldy, and in the paint on floors blisters con-
taining water form. Moisture must find its way out somehow, and no*
sensible person can hold you responsible for the results mentioned.

— 27 —
Transparent Liquid Wood Filler.

Manufacturers of good wood fillers are not in the habit of publish-
ing formulas that have been perfected after continued studies and
experiment, aside from tJie cost of these. For this reason we cannot
give any formula that we can vouch for, and would refer you to-
Grinneirs Hand Book on Painting, where the following recipe is given
on page 135: Pale rosin, 2 pounds; boiled oil, i gallon; japan, i pint.
Melt the rosin in the oil, take the kettle outside, add the japan and
half gallon of turpentine ; stir and when cold add one-half pound corn
starch. Thin with turpentine until workable. Run through a paint
mill or a fine strainer.

We would add to the above that in place of turpentine you may

add benzine, but that, unless you are well posted and very careful,

it may be dear to you at any price to experiment in that line, and that

we should advise you to buy your filler from a manufacturer, which

course may be much cheaper to you in the end.
f

— 28 —

Cheapening of Paint Material.

There are various ways of reducing the cost of paint, but it is a
most difficult matter to reduce the cost to one-half, when linseed oil

14 729 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED.

costs 60 cents a gallon, and yet have a good wearing paint, as the
lasting qualities of paint depend almost wholly upon the nature of the
binder; and on that account we shall not advise the use of mineral
or rosin oils. As dilutants or extenders (cheapeners) of paints, we have
barytes, whiting, silica or silex, china clay or kaolin and gypsum. Of
these barytes absorbs the smallest percentage, kaolin the largest por-
tion of oil, while the other three are equal in that respect. Barytes
is really the best extender for white lead paint, because chemically
inert. Too large a portion of whiting for exterior work tends to flak-
ing, while large portions of silica or silex make the paint too porous,
and even small percentages of clay are liable to produce blooming,
while gypsum is very transparent in oil. A paint made from pure
white lead in oil at 6J cents per pound and raw linseed oil at 60 cents
I^er gallon, or 8 cents per pound, in pure white, for finishing coat, will
cost, exclusive of labor, $1.24 per gallon, or 7 cents per pound. When
made from 75 parts pure white lead in oil at 6J cents and 25 parts pure
American zinc white in oil (to correct possible chalking), also at 6J
cents, and linseed oil as above, it will require a little more oil for
spreading and the cost, exclusive of labor, will be $1.22 per gallon,
or 7.1 cents per pound, this paint being a trifle lighter in gravity.

A paint made from white lead in oil, to which 40 per cent, dry
barytes at i\ cents per pound and 10 pei cent, dry bolted paris white
at f cents per pound is added, thinned with raw linseed oil at 60 cents
per gallon and the necessary dryer, will cost, exclusive of labor, 75
cents per gallon, or 5.15 cents per pound. But this paint will not cover
as well, when rubbed out, as the pure white lead and oil paint, there-
fore it must be used stouter.

— 29 —

Oak Graining Color That May be Rubbed.

To prepare oak graining color so that it may be rubbed it should be
thinned with turpentine only and then some good rubbing varnish
added, say one tablespoonful to one-half pint of the prepared color.

— 30 —

Cheap Black Dip for Stovepipe.

Take one part, by weight, of drop black in japan, break up with
one part black japan, and thin with eight or more parts of turpentine.
This will dry in one hour hard and when rubbed with a dry rag will
have a soft polish. If this is too expensive, substitute benzine for tur-
pentine, but in that case make up no more at any one time than what
can be used that day.

— 31 —

Removing Grease Spots from Marble.

If the spots are fresh, rub over them with a piece of cloth that has
been dipped into pulverized china clay, repeating the operation sev-
eral times, and then brush with soap and water. When the spots are
old brush with distilled water and finest French plaster energetically.

739 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED. .15

then bleach with chloride of lime that is put on a piece of white cloth.
If the piece of marble be small enough to admit of doing so, soak it for
a few hours in refined benzine.

— 32 —

Cheap Binder for Distemper Painting.

Dissolve in the usual manner one-half pound white sheet glue in
one gallon of water, to which add one-half pound crystal alum pre-
viously dissolved in hot water and one-half pound white ivory soap
that has been cut into thin strips and also dissolved in hot water. Mix
all and boil until it becomes a thin, syruplike mass that is perfectly
free from lumps.

— 33 —

Cement or Putty for Aquariums.

The simplest recipe that we know of is to mix fine litharge with re-
fined glycerine to the consistency of soft putty. This becomes as hard
as stone, and will not crumble.

Another good cement is made by mixing waterglass 33 deg. with
zinc white or paris white.

— 34 —

How to Make Fireproof Paint

Grind 7 pounds of zinc white and 3 pounds of air-slaked lime in one
quart of fat linseed oil, then add one quart of waterglass of 33 deg.,
and stir into the mixture 5 pounds dry white lead and i pound sulphate
of zinc. Thin with soft water to proper consistency and use imme-
diately.

— as-
Crawling of Graining Colors in Distemper.

The creeping or crawling may be caused by the ground being too
oily or too hard ; also, to very cold atmosphere. If the addition of old
ale or beer does not stop the creeping a moderate portion of beef gall
with a few drops of spirits of hartshorn, onion juice and syrup of aloes
may prevent it, when added to the color and well mixed in. Some-
times the addition of a little lime water will prevent creeping. When
all of these fail, especially on old, hard ground, use spirits of hartshorn
or caustic soda lye in very minute portions with the color and there
will be no creeping. We would, however, caution against the use
of beef gall when the ground is not thoroughly dry and hard, because
in that case the graining is very apt to crack immediately after the
varnish becomes dry.

-36 —
Easy Method of Frosting Glass.

Dissolve Rochelle salts in gum arable water and let it stand about
12 hours. Clean the glass to be frosted well and lay it down flat, if
convenient, and flow on the solution, so that it will not run. When

i6 739 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED.

about to set take a pointed stick and dot it in rows about an inch or so
apart. The solution may be colored with aniline dyes if desirable, and
when dry flow on a thin coat of damar varnish.

— ay-
Cleaning Painted Surfaces.

An excellent thing to advise as being most effective and least in-
jurious to the paint, is soft water, good soap, soft brushes and cloth for
doors, sills, etc., and water with a trifle of aqua ammonia for floors.
Never suggest anything stronger, especially where you do the
painting. Many housewives or their servants have a mania
for cleaning, that goes to extremes in the selection of mediums.
Soft soap containing strong alkalies, soap powders, overdoses
o»f ammonia, the use of sand soap, or even fine sand, coarse, hard
scrubbing brushes and coarse wiping cloth' are used with an energy
worthy of a better cause, and then they wonder why paint does not
stand or wear on floors and on doors, window frames and sash. The
moderate use of soap or dilute ammonia, which is generally rinsed
oflF again in short order, does no harm to the paint. It is the me-
chanical friction of the brush, the coarseness of the cloth and the
strong alkaline nature of the soap powders which does the harm.

— 38 —

Cheap Medium for Polishing Floors. 1

Dissolve one-half pound commercial potash in two gallons rain wa-
ter or soft water, then put one pound of yellow country beeswax into a
pot, place the pot over a slow fire and inelt the wax with one pint of
the potash solution. When the wax and water have united add the
balance of the solution and heat, while continually stirring. When
the mass appears like curdled milk take from the fire, and now more
water can be added without fear of separation. May be applied to-
floors with cloth or brush, but must be warmed up before using and
well rubbed in to produce the wax finish.

— 39 —

Treating Kalsotnined Walls for Papering.

If the kalvsomine is in good condition, hard and sound, an ordinary
glue size is all that is needed ; give the walls a good coating and pro-
ceed. If the kalsomine is old, disposed to crack or crumble, or, in other
words, if it is not absolutely sound and in excellent condition, the thing^
to do, if you can't take it off, is to give the walls a soaking coat of good,
strong size; further than that, be sure that the rooms and the walls
are warm ; warm enough so that the size can and will strike clear
through kalsomine and attach to the solid wall itself. That will make
you safe. If, on the other hand, the walls are cold, they will chill the
size before it gets into the wall and cause it to jell. Then when your
paper goes on it looks very well at first, but soon the paper, size and
part of the kalsomine come off, and stretch themselves out upon the
floor, as provokingly as gnats in varnish. Another point that should

729 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED. 17

always be kept in mind is that this size should never be put on in any
other condition than hot, or good and warm.

Your paste will likely hold better if you add a little Venice tur-
pentine to each bucketful, say about an ounce of it dissolved in a lit-
tle hot water, and then well stirred into the paste.

The very best and safest way to paper over kalsomine is to take the
kalsomine off the walls first ; it is the only way to do it and do it well,
but we know that many times a man is not allowed to remove the
kalsomine, when the price paid is considered.

— 40 —
Impregnation of Wood with Cement.

This coating is used only on rough, unplaned timber, and only
enough is prepared at one time that can be applied in thirty minutes.
'J he mixture is made as follows: Ten pounds Portland cement, 20
pounds fine, floated sand; 10 pounds fresh cottage cheese and one
gallon buttermilk are intimately mixed, and it must be continually-
stirred during application. Must not be laid on too stout, and as soon
as first coat is dry a second coat should be given. Over this coating
a good green color, ground in oil and thinned with boiled oil and a por-
tion of varnish, may be applied, and it is asserted that wood so pro-
tected will positively resist all influences of atmospheric changes and
conditions and be fairly fire resisting.

— 41 —
Removing Mold from Wall Paper.

A building papered in the fall and unoccupied during the winter
showed mold on the wall paper in the first story, after it had been oc-
cupied in the spring.

The trouble appears to be due to dampness in the walls and the cold
atmosphere. Dissolve one part of salicylic acid in four parts 95 per
cent, alcohol and apply the solution by means of a soft sponge to the
mold spots and you will find that they disappear immediately. To
prevent further formation of mold the room should be well heated
and ventikited ; or if this is impossible, then give the whole surface a
light wash of this solution by daubing.

— 42 —

Killing Knots in Outdoor Work.

In this country shellac varnish is generally employed for the pur-
pose, and sometimes red lead is mixed with the shellac varnish. Thin
glue size and red lead are also used, but wherever the sun has a good
opportunity to get its work in the knots will show through and dis-
color tints in short season. The very best method is to apply oil size
to the knots and lay the leaf of silver or aluminum metal over it. Un-
less the knot be very pitchy or sappy this will prevent exudation.

i8 739 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED.

— 43 —

To Avoid Varnish Cracking in Graining.

The cracking of th^ varnish on outside grained doors may be due to
inelastic varnish or to a ground that is too oily, or to the varnish being
applied before the ground work and graining color is dry. Have your
ground thoroughly dry, and do not hold your graining color too oily
and give it ample time to harden before varnishing; then finish with a
good elastic outdoor varnish and cracking will not occur, if the lumber
be fairly well seasoned.

— 44 —

. Use of Boiled Oil.

We do not especially advocate the use of boiled oil, but do believe
that for slow drying pigments it is far better to use a pure kettle-
boiled linseed oil than to use raw oil and dose it heavily with cheap
Japan driers. It is a serious error to lay the reason for paint blistering
lo boiled oil, because blistering is invariably brought home to mois-
ture, and in kettle-boiled oil all moisture has been expelled. Of course
the so-called bunghole boiled oil (a mixture of raw oil and cheap
drier) may contain large portions of water. Gold size, which is really
boiled oil, heavily charged with red lead and litharge, should not be
added to oil colors that are good driers in themselves.

— 45 —

Paint for Iron Veranda Roofs.

Dissolve two ounces of chloride of copper, two ounces nitrate of
copper and two ounces sal ammoniac in one gallon of water ; then add
two fluid ounces of crude hydrochloric acid. This solution must be
made in stone or earthenware to prevent precipitation of the copper
salts. Cover the surface of the galvanized iron with this solution
and it will assume a black color, which on drying over night will turn
light gray and upon which a red lead priming, thinned with equal
parts of raw linseed oil and turpentine, will hold like grim death.
Subsequent coats can be given in colors rich in oil, etc. Galvanized
iron should at no time be first coated with an all oil paint.

— 46 —

Greens for Distemper Painting.

The Brunswick green in distemper, which is acted on by alum, or
caustic lime, is not the Brunswick green of years ago, which
was a basic chloride of copper, now quite obsolete. It is
known in the United States as commercial chrome green, a mix-
ture of Prussian blue and chrome yellow on a mineral base, mostly
barytes, usually 20 to 25 per cent, color, balance barytes. These
greens hold their color very well as an oil paint, but as a water color
are very easily attacked by lime and other caustics. Sometimes the
blue will change first, but mostly the yellow turns to orange and gives
a decidedly smutty olive cast to the color. We should advise for use
in distemper painting, when the price paid for the work will permit the

7S9 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED. 19

advance in cost, such as verdigris and emerald green, or, if their pois-
onous character prevents their use, green verditer, Bremen green, co-
balt green and terra Verte (or Verona green), all of which are lime
or ^Ikali proof.

— 47 —

Fire Checks in Varnish.

If the checks are not too prominent, we should advise one or two
coats of good rubbing varnish, which will conceal all of this very ob-
jectionable feature.

— 48 —
Preventing Bronze from Tarnishing.

Any bronze stripe, letter, etc., may be kept from tarnishing by coat-
ing it over with a thin coat of white shellac varnish, before it is coated
with finishing varnish.

— 49 —

To Remove Very Hard Old Putty.

Brush the putty over with muriatic acid, and, if necessary, repeat the
operation several times; then remove with putty knife in the usual
wav.

— so-
Sizing Muslin for Lettering.

For ordinary signs, not exposed to the weather, use a thin size of
glue and water. For outdoor purposes melt two ounces of white bees-
wax, and after removing it from fire, thin with one quart of turpentine.
Apply with a brush while warm.

-Si-
Filling in Letters on Metal Signs.

If black, make a putty-like mass of asphaltum, brown japan and dry
lampblack and fill the spaces. Clean the edges with turpentine and
when the cement is dry polish the sign. For white letters make a putty
of dry white lead with equal parts of coach japan and rubbing varnish
and fill up the letters to nearly the level of the surface. When this is
hard, apply a stout coat of flake white in japan, thinned with turps,
which will give a clean white finish and may be polished. This may
be tinted to any desired shade. In any case, the cavities of the letters
must be thoroughly cleaned before filling in to insure adhesion of the

— Sa —

Crawling of Hard Drying Interior Varnish.

Crawling of varnish may be due to various causes. Your first coat
may not be hard enough to admit of the application of the second
coat, and so on. The varnish may sweat out or the rooms may be
too cold to permit the varnish to flow out and lie down evenly. In
any case, the most effective way to prevent crawling of second and

20 729 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED,

succeeding coats is to see that previous coats are perfectly hard and
to "moss" or "hair" them down. Often a simple rubbing with a moist-
ened chamois will prove sufficient to prevent crawling.

Your varnishes may be too heavy bodied for first coating, and in
that case you should ask the advice of the makers as to the proper
method of cutting the material.

— 53 —

Light Color for Oak Furniture.

If oak furniture is to remain light, and especially the parts are not
to set off dirty, proceed as follows: Take good wheat starch, press
it fine with the hammer, stir strong yellow polish of good quality with
the wheat starch into a thick paste and work it with a spatula into
the pores, by passing crossways over the wood, allowing it to dry for
one-half hour. Then go over the wood thus saturated with a scraper,
so that only the pores remain filled. If there are open pores left pro-
ceed as before. If the wood is to be polished, rub it down with pumice
stone and oil and then polish ; if it is to remain dull, it may be coated
with white wax and oil of turpentine and rubbed diligently. Turpen-
tine, oil and wax applied on oak wood without previously filling up the
pores does not remain clean and light for a long time. The pores satu-
rated with wax become dirty in a short time because the wax does
not become so firm as starch and polish.

— 54 —
Painting on Ground Glass.

Rub over the ground side of the glass with equal parts of oil and
turpentine, then dip some cotton into turpentine or benzine and re-
move therewith the oil and dry the glass well. Now dust some fine
starch on the surface and brush it off with a duster. This removes
the dust produced by the grinding of the glass entirely and bleeding
out of the colors need not be feared. Do not draw your sketch with
lead pencil, because that will always show on the reverse, but use
black crayon, because this will be absorbed into the colors. Select
tube colors only for this purpose, and to make them flow properly add
a little fat varnish and thin with turpentine for first and second coats.
The larger paintings should have three or four coats, and should be
stippled after every application. Should any part of the painting dry
out flat, coat it with a good, pale coach varnish. Painting done by this
method will prove very durable.

— 55 —

Iron Rusting Through White Lead.

1. One coat of lead is insufficient to stop rust from coming through,
when once formed, even if invisible to the naked eye before painting.
Such rust will grow under any oil paint, and will come through sooner
or later, especially fearly, when there is only one coat of paint.

2. It is well known that linseed oil has a certain degree of porosity,
and that it does not stop ingress of moisture ; therefore one coat of oil

729 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED. 21

paint will not prevent the rtfsting of the iron, even if rust has not been
already present before piainting.

. 3. So long as a special brand of white lead was the only white Jead
applied on some particular surface, it cannot be determined whether
other brands would not have shown the same fault.

— 56 —

Making Use of Paint Skins for Roof Paint.

We do not know of any better method to make use of paint skins
than to soften them by boiling with plenty of linseed oil or linseed oil
foots, running the softened skins through a paint mill or a paint
strainer, and we believe such paint to be cheap, even at a high
cost of linseed oil. We do not advocate the use of substitutes or in-
ferior oils, nor would we recorpmend the boiling of paint skins with
anything but linseed oil, but if the paint must be cheap and if low
cost is paramount to durability, there are mineral oils and rosin oils
offered to the trade, which may be employed for thinning the boiled
skins to painting consistency and the material cheapened by these
means* Many dissolve the paint skins accumulating about their
workshops in a solution of 2 lbs. concentrated lye, 5 lbs. unslacked
lime and 15 gallons of water. The skins are occasionally stirred and
when dissolved the lyewater is poured off from the top and the paint
in bottom of tank or barrel may be uaed, after thinning, for priming
rough work, but is hardly fitted for coating tin roofs or ironwork.

— 57 —

To Fix Bronze Colors on Glass.

The late Prof. R. Bottger, of Frankfort-on-the-Main, employed a
process for fixing bronze colors on glass, etc., which consists in using
differently colored fine bronze powder, together with a concentrated
potash water glass solution of 30 degs. B. After the articles to be
bronzed have been very thinly and uniformly coated with the water
glass solution by the use of a fine brush the bronze powder is strewn
on by means of a sort of sieve. Allow same to dry perfectly with ordi-
nary heating, and remove with a broad, fine brush the superfluous
bronze powder, which has not been taken up by the potash water glass.
The water glass effects such an intimate combination and adhesion of
the bronze powder layer to the object, that even alcohol, sulphuric
ether or water are not capable of removing the same. Such articles
may even be polished with a burnisher or agate. Glass as well as
porcelain, metals of every description : wood, such as mirror and pic-
ture frames, etc., can be decorated in this manner and the covering may
be washed off without injury.

— 58 —

Varnish Becoming Chilled in Cold Weather.

When varnish has become chilled, it will show a soiled or sandy sur-
face. When varnish or japan is received in freezing weather, it should
be placed and left undisturbed for a few days in a very warm place (at
least 75 degs. F.) before an attempt to use it is made, and if stored in

22 739 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED.

a room with a temperature lower than 70 degs. F., it should be placed
in a place that is warmer than 75 degs. F. for a few hours. A ther-
mometer in a room may register from 65 to 70 degs. F., yet if this ther-
mometer was placed close to the floor it might register 10 degs. less.

— 59 —
Simple Tests for Linseed Oil.

To test for purity, procure nitric acid of 1.40 specific gravity, and
use no other for testing various samples of oil at the same time. Use
glass testing tubes or two-ounce long vials of clear glass, and put into
the tube equal parts of the oil to be tested and nitric acid, shaking it
well for one-half of a minute, then set aside for about 15 or 20 minutes
to settle. As rosin oils and mineral oils are about the only adulterations
to be looked for at the present day, the following will be a guide : The
nitric acid and oil will separate in the tube or bottle, the oil floating
on top. There will be two layers or strata, and when the oil is pure
raw linseed oil the upper stratum will be straw color, the lower
stratum nearly colorless. If rosin oil be present in small percentage
the upper stratum will be brown, the lower one decided straw color;
when there is more rosin oil, say from 20 to 30 per cent., the upper
stratum will be brownish black, the lower stratum deep straw color.
If fish oil be present, the upper stratum will be thick brownish black
mass, the lower dark orange.* For the presence of mineral oil the
nitric acid test need not be applied, as the presence of mineral oil is
revealed by a bloom or iridescence, that may be plainly noticed. If
the painter is of an inquiring turn of mind and has the facilities, he
may apply the flash test by heating the oil to a certain degree and then
igniting the same. Pure linseed oil will not flash below 480 deg. F. :
rosin oil will flash at 320 deg. F., and mineral oil at from 390 to 400
deg. F. But the simplest and generally the most effective way to test
raw linseed oil is for the painter to familiarize himself with the ap-
pearance of rosin, mineral and fish oil, as well as with their odor. If
he has any oil to sample that he suspects, let him put a few drops of
the oil between the palms of his hands, rubbing them briskly together,
and depend on his sense of smell. If there is any, even a very small
portion, of the oils mentioned present, he will be sure to detect it.

It will be very difficult to find at present any cold pressed oil, as
nearly, if not quite all, the oil that is not made by extraction or perco-
lation, is hot pressed. Cold pressed oil is of better odor and body and
generally greener in color than the hot pressed oil, and this in turn is
of better odor and body and not as dark in color as the extracted or
percolated oil. In the nitric acid test, the cold pressed oil will give
the palest color in the upper stratum, a very light straw ; hot pressed
a straw color, and percolated oil gives a straw color with a reddish
tinge. It is, however, a most difficult matter to decide between a well
settled hot pressed oil and a newly made cold pressed oil, but there is
scarcely any difficulty in determining which is pressed oil and which
extracted oil. The latter is of lighter specific gravity, and if both
are weighed at even temperatures in a standard measure on a delicate
scale, the difference will be sufficiently marked. As in all things, im-
partiality, accuracy and some little experience is required.

739 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED. 23

— 60 —
Preparation for Damp Walls.

We will give a few hints for the treatment of damp walls, obtained
from reliable sources.

Make a glue size by dissolving one pound of good white, sheet glue
in one gallon of soft water, soaking the glue first in cold water and
then boiling it in a water bath. Keep this glue size in hot water, stir
in enough red lead to make a stout, but workable paint, and apply
while hot. Whien the dampness comes from the outside of a wall, the
moisture should be driven out by heating, the defects remedied by a
plasterer or mason, when the wall is of brick or stone, or when of
wood, battening and canvasing should be resorted to; the battens to
be nailed up and down, a reasonable distance, say 16 to 20 inches,
apart, the canvas cut to the size of the wall space and stitched neatly
together, then stretched and tacked on to the battens, after which a
glue and alum size is given, preparatory to the application of oil paint.

Coating damp walls with tinfoil or sheet lead will prevent moist-
ure from coming through the paint for a while, but does not effect
a permanent cure.

— 61 —

Paint that Will Not Peel Off.

Peeling or scaling of paint is usually due to the use of improper ma-
terial for priming, and no subsequent attempt at remedying the evil
will be successful, unless the proper priming is applied, after all the
loose scales have been removed. Paints consisting of pigments of a
brittle nature and inferior oil must be carefully avoided and the prim-
ing must consist of a pigment and vehicle that have great affinity for
one another. No matter what subsequent coats may consist of, the
priming coat should be pure white lead and raw linseed oil. In re-
painting such a job proceed in the following manner : First, scrape off
all the paint, loose or otherwise, and if impossible to remove all- by
scraping, but the obstinate part off in the usual way, then give a thin
priming, using not over eight pounds of strictly pure white lead to one
gallon of pure raw linseed oil, and about one-fourth pint of good liquid
drier. If convenient, tint this prim.er with a little lampblack and work
the priming well into the wood. Allow this priming to dry thoroughly
for a week, if possible, then give a heavier coat of white lead, oil and
drier, tinted to match finish desired, and when this has dried well,
finish with whatever paint is required. Two coats over such priming
should always be given. This method may be more expensive than
those usually followed, but good results can be vouchsafed.

— 62 —
Painting Plastered Walls.

In Government work contractors are generally held down strictly to
specifications, which fact should not be lost sight of. It would be
cheaper to give one coat of glue size and two coats of oil paint to the
v/alls, but glue size direct to the plaster is unsafe on account of possible

24 739 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED.

dampness, and if three coats of paint are specified, glue size will not be
permitted to figure as a coat of paint. For good work on walls of hard
plaster, a thin priming of white lead, thinned with raw oil and a small
portion of turps, is recommended, on which a coat of glue size is ap-
plied to stop suction for succeeding coats, of which there should be not
less than two.

— 63-
Testing the Binding Properties of Glue.

Good animal glue, when soaked in cold water, should swell con-
siderably, should not discolor the water to any great extent, nor
should it give off much soluble matter to cold water, and, above all,
it should not give off a disagreeable, sour or moldy odor.

Even when digested for twenty-four or forty-eight hours in cold
water it must not become liquid enough to flow, but when heated at a
temperature of 120 deg. F. it should dissolve and be thoroughly dis-
solved at 125 deg. F.

To test its binding properties there are various methods, but we
shall give only the simplest one. One part by weight of glue, say i
lb., and 2 parts by weight of water, say i quart, are heated in a glue
pot on a steam bath, until the weight of the original mixture is
reduced to if lbs. This is then tested in the following manner:
Hard or soft wood, i inch in thickness and 16 inches long, are cut in
half, so that each piece is 8 inches long, and these pieces are glued to-
gether again at the point of separation and laid away for three days
in a fairly warm place. On one of the pieces, i inch from the end, an
eye bolt is inserted, to which afterward weights are attached and the
pieces of wood fastened to a table, so that the joint is just flush with
its edge ; then the weights are attached to the eye bolt, and the joint
•should stand a weight of at least 150 lbs. before breaking if the glue
is to be considered first class. The test should be begun with 50 lbs.,
and the weight increased 10 lbs. every minute, until breakage occurs.
This, of course, is a test for joiners' glue, and if merely for painters'
purposes we should say that the glue which takes up the most water in
proportion is the best to select.

— 64 —
Treatment of Exposed Walls for Efflorescence.

In an apartment house in New York City, the wall of the elevator
shaft projects some 12 feet above the roof, having a northern exposure.
The inside of the shaft, which has a plaster finish, had been painted.
This paint cracked and crumbled off, and in scraping away the loose
paint it would all fall away. The painter thought this was due to salt-
peter. To cure it he put in new plaster mixed with water glass, and
coated this again with water glass, shellac and paint, but the trouble
broke out again a week or so later. He then puttied up all the joints
on the outside of the wall and gave it a stout coat of graphite paint,
but this also peeled off in places that corresponded with those on the
inside.

739 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED. 25

This case is an old evil and may be traced to moisture and to soluble
salts in the cement or mortar, and incidentally to inferior brick. The
term "saltpeter" used in connection with efflorescence on brick walls
is erroneous, the salts which are present in cement and mortar are dis-
solved by the water with which these binders are mixed, and as the
water evaporates in drying, it carries the salts to the surface in crys-
talline form. In the case cited it would appear that the inside
of the shaft was plastered and probably painted soon after, before the
wall had ample time to dry out thoroughly. If such was the case, it
is not surprising that the paint would not stay on the inside, because on
a northern exposure the moisture could not be drawn out by the sun,
consequently it remained there, and neither the inside paint could re-
main firm nor the graphite paint applied to the outside. The painter was
in no way to blame for the failure, as it is no doubt due to the ignor-
ance or carelessness of those who did the work originally. Plastered
walls should not be painted unless they are thoroughly hard, and if the
plaster contains much lime they should be allowed to stand quite a
long time, or the lime salts should be neutralized by a wash prepara-
tory to painting. While there is no really eflFective remedy known to
the trade or to science, excepting the thorough expulsion of moisture
from the walls by heat, unless there is an opportunity for a wall to give
up its moisture from the unplastered or unpainted side (which it would
scarcely do when that side is exposed to the north), we would recom-
mend repeated washings on both sides of the wall with phosphate of
lime or phosphoric acid preferably, or with commercial sulphuric acid.
Nitric acids and other acids, which form soluble salts with lime, must
be avoided as washes in this connection. This treatment will neutral-
ize the salts, which are detrimental to oil paint, and allow the coating
to remain firm, unless an extraordinary amount of moisture will force
its way through from the other side. The first coat of oil paint applied
over the wash when this has had ample time to act on the mortar or
plaster and become dry, should be a stout all oil paint, with only the
necessary drier added, and well rubbed out. When the weather is
favorable and the wall reasonably dry, the outside should be given a
few good coats of good linseed oil paint to keep moisture from strik-
ing in.

-65-
Cheap Coal Tar and Mineral Paint, Etc.

A painter wants to know how to make a cheap black paint from coal
tar, and a cheap ready mixed paint from iron oxides for covering iron
and tin roofs, which should.be practically an anti-rust paint.

If you want something cheap, you cannot expect wear or durability,
nor can you expect to give the metal protection against rust. It has
been demonstrated that coal tar, though apparently preserving iron,
when repeatedly applied, does not stop or prevent corrosion, but that
it rather aids in the gradual destruction and weakening of the metal,
unless it is thoroughly refined and mixed with good asphaltum and
linseed oil, and combined with drying mediums in the varnish kettle
and thinned with good solvent, such as benzol, spirits of "turpentine

26 729 PAINT- QUESTIONS ANSWERED.

or benzine. Coal tar, simply thinned with benzine, becomes too brit-
tle after drying to withstand the action of the elements for any length
of time. Here is a formula for a black that has given good satisfaction
for wear: Take 30 pounds each of coal tar pitch and cheap asphal-
tuni, melt and boil over a slow fire for 5 hours; then add 8 gallons
boiled linseed oil, and slowly 10 pounds each red lead and litharge;
boil 3 hours longer, then take from fire and thin while still warm with
enough turpentine or benzine to make it work freely. If this be too
troublesome or too high for cost, take 3 gallons liquid coal tar and mix
with it I gallon benzine asphaltum varnish, which may be thinned
with either turpentine or benzine to working consistency.

We would suggest, however, that you buy your material ready for
use from manufacturers, who make a specialty of supplying such
paints, as it may save you money in the long run, not to speak of the
risk you run in preparing these goods yourself.

As for cheap oxide of iron paints for roofs, if you have no mill, we
should advise you to buy your red or brown, already ground in oil, and
thin it with good old-fashioned kettle boiled linseed oil or raw oil and
liquid drier. If you value your reputation as a painter, you will not
resort to the use of mineral or rosin oils, and if you desire to make an
anti-rust paint you will use good Venetian red or metallic brown for
tin roofs, and prime with red lead for iron. When color is no object
it might pay you to try graphite paint.

— 66 —
Painting a Hearse in White.

As hearses are subject to exposure and wear same as other vehicles,
though not to such an extended degree, the use of zinc white and damar
varnish, which furnish the cleanest white, cannot be taken into con-
sideration and we must look to white which will give the next best
result as regards whiteness and which will insure durability at the
same time. These are the quick-drying whites, known variously as
Cremnitz white, flake white or Florence white, and are usually ground
in very pale drying vehicles and are ready for application when
thinned with good, pure turpentine.

But it is not only necessary to select the best of these, but to pro-
ceed with the utmost care from the very foundation up to exclude any
excess of oil, which may discolor subsequent coats of clear white.

To make a first class job in painting a hearse or any other vehicle in
white, if the object is entirely new, dust off the wood and remove any
discoloration that may be apparent. Then give a coat of pure raw lin-
seed oil, which may be warmed, in case its temperature is less than
75 deg. F. Brush this in well and see that every part of the wood is
covered. This should be allowed at least 5 days before another coat is
given and then well sandpapered. Now a coat of white lead in oil,
thinned with one-quarter raw oil and three-quarters part turps, to
which a little pale coach japan is added, may be applied and, this coat
dry, the necessary puttying or glazing should be done. Use for putty
a mixture of dry white lead and equal parts of rubbing varnish and
pale coach or gold sized japan. For the deeper places it must be rather
stiff, otherwise it may be pastelike, and for glazing, thin with turps.

739 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED, 27

After removing uneven places with sandpaper, give a second coat of
white lead, thinned with a trifle of oil only, say one-eighth raw oil and
seven-eighths turps, adding a tablespoonful of pale coach japan to
one-half gallon of the thinned lead paint. Then sandpaper again
lightly, and apply two coats of any of the quick-drying whites above
referred to, using a soft bristle brush and working the white in such
a way that brush marks afe avoided. It is well to add a trifle pale
finishing varnish as additional binder, especially for the second coat.
Over this apply a full, flowing coat of the palest rubbing varnish, to
which has been added a trifle of the quick-drying white to take off the
yellow cast of the varnish. When thoroughly dry, rub with pumice
and water, clean off carefully, then apply a coat of flatting varnish, also
colored with some of the white. Moss or hair carefully when dry, and
clean up thoroughly, then apply a final coat of palest finishing var-
nish that can be obtained.

There are other methods of finishing vehicles in white, but we be-
lieve this to be the most durable for the short time required and the
most economical.

-67-
Method of Finishing Hard Wood Floors.

There are various ways of treating hard wood floors and the method
adopted depends on the taste of thq owner and the price paid for the
work. The most usual and cheapest method is to oil the floor, after
it has been thoroughly cleaned of plaster spots and other marks of
discoloration, dust, etc. ; the oil should be kettle boiled, or if this can-
not be had, good pure raw linseed oil, with one pint of good japan, to
seven pints of the oil and well brushed in. This dry, put on paste
wood filler of a color suited to the wood and thinned with turps, the
surplus of which is to be removed as usual, when about to set. When
the filler has become hard and dry, carefully sandpaper, putty up with
hard drying material to match color of wood, then dust off and give a
coat of shellac, which may be rubbed with flour of pumice and oil to
present a dull finish, or may be waxed with wax floor polish.

If it is desirable to change the color of the wood, transparent, or
semi-transparent colors, such as raw or burnt sienna, raw or burnt um-
ber, Vandyke brown or rosepink or any mixture of these may be added
to the oil for the priming and the wood filler selected to match. In
place of the shellac a good, hard floor varnish, that will rub well, may
be substituted. If undesirable to ufee varnish, the floor may be oiled
or stained and filled and wax floor polish paste applied directly with-
out an intervening coat of varnish and polished with a large, heavy
floor brush, the finish depending on the amount of elbow grease ex-
pended.

For extra fine work and where price permits, the oiling and filling
is proceeded with in similar manner, but the finishing is done by giving
in succession several coats of shellac varnish or hard-drying floor var-
nish, each of these being rubbed with pumice and water or pumice
and oil, until an even mirror-like surface is obtained and the final coat
of varnish simply "mossed" to take off the very high lustre, and then
usually waxed.

:28 739 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED.

The foregoing is the method used for finishing hard wood floors,
Avhich are expected to be subjected to extraordinary wear, such as the
floors of offices, hospitals, public halls and libraries, etc. The pre-
vailing practice for floors in private residences, where they are covered
with rugs or carpets for at least part of the year, is more simple. They
^^re not oiled, but the hard wood filler is applied directly to the finished
wood, wiped off, allowed about 24 hours to-dry, sandpapered and either
shellac varnished or waxed directly on the filler. While not as last-
ing as the other method, it wears fairly well and makes a good finish
that does not scratch or spot as readily as varnished floors, and it is
much more economical.

■

— 68 —

How Should Copper Work Be Treated to Get the Best Results for
Painting the Same to Resist the Discoloration by Verdigris?

Copper, like bronze, when exposed to the influence of the
atmosphere, becomes oxidized on the surface and this film or m-
crustation so formed, which is known by the technical term patina,
will resist further oxidation and upon it any good oil paint will gain a
firm hold, unless there be grease or dust deposit present. These
should be removed by brushing or washing before painting.

Verdigris, so isolated, will have no ill effect on oil paint, but if cop-
per must be painted, before patina has formed, it should be well
cleansed and a thin coat of shellac varnish applied before beginning
to paint. This is the proper method to be followed on small articles
of copper that are not to be exposed.

Where the green verdigris has formed, instead of the brown oxide of
copper, remove it with a rag saturated with a weak solution of am-
monia and rub dry, then apply a thin coat of shellac varnish.

— 69-

What Is the Cause of Linseed Oil Applied on the Outside Losing Its

Gloss, Say Within Sixty Days?

A large book could be written on this subject alone, and limit of
space allows us to mention only very few of the causes that make
linseed oil lose its gloss more rapidly than it should. Chief among
them is the inveterate use of liquid or lightning driers or japans and
turpentine. Next comes the practice of giving only two coats, where
three are required. The too rapid application of the final coat upon
the preceding one may also account for the deadening of the gloss.

The use of earthy pigments in old paints causes much of this trouble,
but through no particular fault of theirs, rather, because their re-
<:'uirements for a liberal allowance of good, heavy bodied oil are not
always understood.

When the undercoats are too oily or not dry enough, the next coat
ot oil paint is liable to sink in or deaden. The same will happen when
oil paint is applied to wet surface. Good, heavy-bodied raw linseed
oil, to which a moderate quantity of good japan drier is added, or good
kettle boiled linseed oil, when judiciously used with the desired oil

7S9 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED, 29

colors or white lead or both, combined on final cbat on good hard
ground work, will* not lose its gloss under ordinary conditions in 60-
daysi, nor in a year. Of course, there are conditions where linseed oil
will not stand, such as sulphur-laden atmospheres or where ammonia,
vapors abound.

— 70 —
Putty for Parquet Floors.

An excellent putty for floors consists of a thorough mixture of paper,,
preferably blotting paper, which has been soaked in boiling hot water
until pulp is formed, which is then mixed with glue, also dissolved in
water. To this bolted whiting is added in sufficient quantity to make
a fairly stiff putty by kneading the mass, which is pressed into the
cracks and smoothed off with the spatula or putty knife. However,
this putty is recommended for large cracks only, because unshrinkable,
but is scarcely adapted for shallow cracks in a parquet floor. For this
purpose we would recommend one part white lead in oil, mixed with
two or three parts of bolted whiting and enough coach varnish to make
a stiff paste. If the work must be hastened, coach japan may be sub-
stituted for part of the coach varnish. This putty will resist moisture,
and when dry and hard may be sandpapered or rubbed, and it may be
tinted with color if required to match the color of the wood.

— 71 —
Backing for Gilding on Glass.

The best backing for gilding on glass when the same is to be shaded
is dry lampblack mixed with quick-drying rubbing varnish and thinned
with enough spirits of turpentine to make the material work evenly
and freely. Or drop black ground in japan, thinned with turpentine to-
which a moderate. portion of quick-drying varnish has been added, will
serve the purpose also very well. Either of these will not soften
under the shading color, and can be made to dry hard in less than 12
hours, but will not increase the burnish of the gold.

That is an entirely different matter, and depends on the condition
of the size used in laying the leaf and on the subsequent treatment in
burnishing. Some authorities recommend the use of gum arabic size,,
one drachm to one pint of boiling water, which is to be filtered through
blotting paper, and to which, when cold, one teaspoonful of white
whisky is added. Kept in a bottle well corked, it will keep for a
year. The most favored size, however, consists of isinglass, of which
a piece the size of a nickel is dissolved in a pint of rain water, boiling
hot. This solution is filtered through filtering or blotting paper, and
when cold a tablespoonful of whisky or alcohol added.

If the use of asphaltum for backing the gold leaf is avoided and
japan color, thinned with rubbing varnish, used, the gold will retain its
burnish, because such colors will not strike in, as may be the case with
asphaltum.

30 739 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED.

— 72 —

Paint Peeling and Blistering in Hothouses.

Considerable trouble was experienced because of paint peeling and
blistering on the cypress framework of a hothouse. The wood was
thoroughly seasoned, primed with best French ocher, thinned with
good raw linseed oil and a little japan. The priming was allowed to
stand a week and was then given two coats pure white lead in oil
thinned with raw oil and a trifle of japan only.

Cypress being close grained, ocher, no matter how finely ground it
may be, is not the proper material for priming, because it produces a
film that does not adhere well, excepting on very spongy and open-,
grained wood. The oil penetrates into the wood to a certain extent
and leaves the brittle pigment on the surface without sufficient
binder.

It is a noted fact that on many houses primed with ocher and fin-
ished with tinted lead, where paint has scaled, there was a so-called
splitting of the priming coat, the priming apparently still remaining
on the wood, while on the back of the scales the color of ocher is also
plainly noticeable. That pure white lead tempers the brittleness of
ocher is an established fact, and if ocher is desirable in a primer it
should be mixed with white lead in equal bulk.

However, for the inside of hothouses that are constructed of cypress
or similar timber, pure white lead only is recommended for priming,
and such priming should not be all oil, but should contain a trifle
of turpentine also in order to make the paint lie down close, nor should
subsequent coats of paint be too oily, and be well brushed out; ample
time for drying should also be given between coats. The cause for
blistering may have been somewhat due to green wood, but we rather
think it Ayas caused by moisture and heat, the water condensing on
the paint being absorbed by the pores in the latter and settling under
the priming coat, naturally formed blisters and in some places threw
off the paint.

— 73 —

To Paint Zinc Lined Bathtubs Successfully.

To make a good and durable job, the paint should be baked, but if
this is out of the question, it must be air dried. After cleaning the
zinc surface from grease, etc., wash thoroughly with dilute muriatic
acid and rinse well with clear water. Dry the surface and give a coat
of zinc white in oil, thinned with two-thirds oil and one-third turpen-
tine, and a trifle of japan. Allow this to dry hard, then apply the flat
color and varnish or give the required number of coats of so-called
enamel. It is self-evident that only ihe very best material will give
satisfactory wear.

— 74 —

Effect of the Vapors in Stables on Oil Paint.

The inside of a stable having rough plastered walls and brick arched
ceiling was painted in the fall with oil paint. But during the winter
the ceiling dripped with moisture and the coachman attempted to wash

739 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED. 31

it with soap and water, when the paint came off like whitewash.

It is well known that ammonia vapors form in stables, and that dur-
ing the winter especially, when there is little airing of such places,
the ammonia vapors are bound to seek an escape somewhere, and
naturally an arched ceiling will be first attacked. The paint becomes
saponified and runs, and the least friction, as in this case, by washing,
will remove it completely. This has been recognized for quite a
time, and the general practice is to have stables finished in hard wood,
with a good varnish coating, which, after all, resists ammonia vapors
better than oil paint. The painter cannot be blamed for the perishing
of the paint, because he cannot estimate in advance the possible degree
of deteriorating influences from this source.

— 75 —
The Blackening of Gold Bronze on Exposure.

The spikes of an iron railing were painted with gold bronze, which
turned black in less than four months. The bronzing liquid that wa,s
bought by the painter becamie thick, and was thinned with turps.

While an inferior bronzing liquid may have a bad effect on the
bronze when the powder is mixed with the liquid and kept for any
length of time, it cannot be due to the quality of the liquid in this
case. There is gold bronze on the market that will not tarnish on ex-
posure to the elements,, but such is really more expensive than gold
leaf. The bronze sold for general use consists of alloys of copper and
zinc or tin, and will be bright only so long as a spigot or other article
of brass or copper on exposure to air. When such bronze is mixed,
with the liquid and so applied, it will be bright until the atmospheric
influences destroy the vehicle. Often, however, the acids in the var-
nish or bronzing liquid attack the bronze itself and turn the bronze
green, if not black. Where durability is desired, gold leaf should be
used.

-76-

Painting with Oil Paint on Muslin or Canvas That Is to Be Rolled Up

Frequently and Exposed to the Weather.

Dissolve white beeswax, which is finely sliced, in spirits of turpen-
tine in the cold way, which requires about three days. The mass'
must have the consistency of soft soap. Now add three-quarter
pound of this to two pounds of J^nc white, ground in oil, and two ta-
blespoonfuls of soft soap. This thick mass, to which is added a trifle
japan, is applied with a large spatula to the canvas, so that all pores
are filled and the superfluous material removed with the spatula.
When this priming is dry, thin the mass with equal parts of boiled
linseed oil and turpentine to brushing consistency and apply one full
coat. If this has not well covered, apply another coat. The further
manipulation is carried on as in other sign work where oil color* are
used.

32 739 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED.

— 77 —

Painting Engines and Ice Machinery.

On account of the great variations of temperatures, material of great
elasticity and resistance to dampness is required for this kind of work.
Ordinary copal varnish will not fill these requirements. Old ma-
chinery which shows cracks must be treated with paint remover, while,
where there are no cracks, the old varnish must be removed by rub-
bing down with pumice and water, then painted over with flat oil or
japan color and striped and varnished with material that is especially
adapted for this work. Lead must not be used on this sort of work,
because it does not stand the heat, and if the tone is to be brown,
tuscan red and burnt umber would make a rich brown, which would
stand pretty high degrees of temperature. For a gray, zinc white
would be the best base.

-78-
The Bronzing of Plaster Coats.

A soap is made from linseed oil and caustic soda, which is precipi-
tated with a solution of common salt and then filtered. Then a solu-
tion is made of four parts of vitriol of copper and one part of vitriol
of iron in hot water, which is added to the above filtrate, when a flocu-
lent precipitate is formed that contains oxide of copper and iron in
combination with the fatty acids of the soap and is reddish brown in
color; This precipitate is repeatedly washed, first in hot, then in cold
water, pressed and dried.

Now eight gallons of pure raw linseed oil are boiled with eight
pounds of litharge (must be powdered), then filtered and allowed to
clear. When clear, fifteen parts by weight of this boiled oil and
twelve parts of the dried copiper and iron soap and five parts of white
beeswax are melted together at moderate heat, and this liquid is ap-
plied with a brush to the figures, which have been previously heated
to 200 deg. F. Then they are exposed to the air for a few days to
dry, rubbed off with a woolen cloth and touched up with bronze pow-
der at edges or other raised lines. Small articles may be dipped in
place of brushing.

— 79 —

Putty for Zinc Ornaments.

Take equal parts in bulk of zinc dust, or in lieu thereof zinc oxide
and fine Paris white, and mix the same to a stout, plastic mass with a
solution of 33 degrees Be water glass. Scrape the faulty place first
clean with knife or other handy instrument, then fill it with this mass,
vjhich becomes hard in six to eight hours, and if the work is to be fine,
smooth it with an agate pestle. This putty also adheres to glass, stone
and metals, and is water proof.

— 8o —

Preparation of Woolen Texture for Painting.

A woolen flag that has been patched is to be painted over.

729 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED. 33

Saturate the new patches with a solution of isinglass and use colors
ground in elastic coach varnish, thinned with turpentine only, to which
may be added a small portion of beeswax dissolved in turpentine.
The principal point is to give the new patches as nearly as possible the
appearance of the old parts of the flag or banner.

— 8i —

Painting of Iron Fences with Asphaltum Varnish.

Very much depends upon the quality of the asphaltum varnish, and
a cheap article is not to be recommended for this purpose at any time.
It should be genuine asphaltum, combined with sufficient oil to make
it elastic, but it is here, as with many other materials, first cost is
considered before quality. Nor would we recommend the application
of asphaltum over an oil priming, because the final coat should be the
most elastic. Rather than this, the asphaltum varnish should be ap-
plied to the metal direct. Our advice is, prime with red lead or a mix-
ture of white lead and red lead, and finish with a good oil paint, to
which, if desirable, a portion of first-class outside varnish may be
added. The priming should not be too oily to make the finishing coat
more adhesive and stand out with a better gloss.

— 82 —

Ruling Lines on Blackboards.

Oil colors, when thinned with japan and turpentine, will not run
in striping, but japan colors should have some boiled oil and only little
turps for thinners, if they are used for this purpose. To make the
lines stand the continuous friction from marking with chalk and the
washing with sponge, a coat of rubbing or flatting varnish should be
given, and this rubbed down with pumice and water, because chalk
will not mark or hold well on glossy ^irfaces.

-83-

Loss of Opacity or Covering Power in Zinc White.

A barrel of dry zinc white kept in the shop for a year was found to
have lost body and become practically transparent, although of excel-
lent covering property when first purchased.

The cause of the change lies in the fact that zinc oxide has the prop-
erty to absorb carbonic acid from the air, and especially when the
material has become moist from one cause or another. Part at least
of the zinc oxide changes into zinc carbonate, and while the latter is
of good white color it is transparent in comparison with the former.
Therefore dry zinc white, if kept in stock for any length of time, should
be kept in well closed packages.

-84-
Fireproofing Textile Fabrics.

Ammonium chloride, as well as alum solution, are recommended,
also waterglass, and these are probably the cheapest mediums for the
purpose. A solution which has given excellent results is composed of

34 • 7J9 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED.

4 gallons of water, in which are dissolved 40 ounces chloride of am-
monia, 40 ounces boracic acid, 5 ounces carbonate of ammonia, 4
ounces potassium bitartrate and 4 ounces potassium oxalate. The
fabric is steeped into the solution for fifteen minutes and then dried.

-85-
Vamishcd Table Tops That Will Stand Heat.

A treatment is wanted for an old walnut table top, that will prevent
the cloth from sticking to the varnish when hot dishes are placed on it.

The fault lies in the varnish, if a moderate amount of heat makes the
tablecloth stick to the varnish. Very likely the varnish is not made
of a hard enough gum, as anything in the varnish line is frequently
considered good enough for furniture. This may be so for cheap fur-
niture, but will not answer for the tops of tables on which hot dishes
are being placed. In the case above cited, we would recommend a
rubbing down of the top with powdered pumice and water, thereby
removing the old varnish and preparing a level, well filled surface.
This done, a coat of good, hard drying, rubbing varnish is given, which
should be well brushed out and allowed to dry. Then a heavy, flow-
ing coat of rubbing varnish should be applied, and when this is dry
it is rubbed with flour of pumice until even and washed off. Now it
is rubbed with rotten stone and sweet oil, the oil cleaned off and the
surface polished with the hand or chamois leather.

If this method is too expensive, the rubbing may be dispensed with
and the varnish surface simply "haired or mossed," but the varnish
must be of the best quality.

— 86 —
Cheap Paint for Rough Work.

Linseed Oil and Water Emulsion. — Shake i pound caustic lime and
add enough soft water to make 2 J gallons of lime water, dissolve i
pound sal soda in 2J gallons of soft water. Mix the two solutions and
stir into the mixture i gallon of raw linseed oil. Let it stand for sev-
eral days, then use it with raw linseed oil in equal proportions as
thinner for paint.

Fence Paint, White. — Mix thoroughly and then strain or run
through a paint mill 2 parts in bulk of slacked lime in stout consistency
with I part in bulk of white lead in oil, then thin with linseed oil
enough to spread well.

Cheap Mineral Paint for Rough Work. — To 75 pounds of ocher,
Venetian red or mineral brown, add 75 pounds bolted whiting and 20
pounds air slaked lime, mix well and thin with equal proportions of
raw linseed oil and skimmed sweet milk. Run through strainer, when
of proper consistency for application.

-87-
Paint for the Dials of Spirit Compasses.

A man who frequently has to repair compasses for ships has been un-
able to make a white that will stand in alcohol, nor a black for the
numbers.

739 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED. 35

We have had no experience along this line of painting, and find the
question a difficult one to answer. We do not entertain the idea that
the paint is dissolved by the alcohol, but simply softened and lifted
off, as it were. If it were a mere matter of solubility in alcohol, we
should have to see that the vehicles used in the paint are insoluble in
cold alcohol, and for such hard kauri varnishes can be highly recom-
mended. Amber varnish would be better still, were it not for the fact
that it discolors white so badly. We should say that a varnish made
of extra pale, hard kauri gum with a moderate quantity of bleached
linseed oil and the necessary quantity of turpentine, to which sufficient
P>ench zinc in varnish is added to make a stout, white paint, would
not be affected by alcohol, provided a good ground is given the dial
first. The black for figures, etc., could be mixed from lampblack or
ivory black in japan and a good kauri varnish, the latter for a bind-
ing medium. Should a glossy white on the dial interfere with the
proper application or adhesion of the black numbers, the white could
be made from zinc that is ground in paste form with pale kauri var-
nish and thinned with turpentine to dry flat or with eggshell gloss, and
the dial varnished with two coats of extra pale varnish after number-
ing. An experiment on these lines by painting a strip of metal, steep-
ing th^ same in alcohol, would be the very best way of ascertaining
the value of the foregoing suggestions.

— 88 —
Restoring the Gloss on Linoleum.

Floor varnish is not advisable. A better method and less destructive
to the cloth is to rub over the cloth with a mixture of one part each of
paraffine and palm oil, thinned with four parts kerosene oil.

— 89 —

Paste for Fastening Oilcloth to Wood.

Mix one pound wheat flour with two quarts of water, in which has
been dissolved one quarter ounce of alum, and while constantly stir-
ring with a wooden stick boil the mixture until mushy, so that the
stick will stand in it. This tough paste is applied to the table top and
the oilcloth laid thereon and smoothed out from the center toward
the edges, so that there will be no wrinkles or blisters.

-go-
To Keep Cassel Brown in Soft Paste Form.

Assuming that this question relates to paste for distemper paint-
ing we would say that in such case, inasmuch as cassel brown is un-
affected by alkalies, you may mix your dry brown with some soda lye
of 20 deg. B., and then add enough glycerin of 28 deg. B. until a smooth
paste is obtained. If it refers to a paste in oil, however, we would;
advise you to dry your cassel brown sharply, then rub it under the>
muller with spirits of turpentine until fine, then add linseed oil to
give required consistency. But isn't it cheaper to buy your cassel
brown already prepared in paste form?

36 739 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED.

— 91 —

To Make Plaster Paris Set Slow.

Add to the dry plaster before mixing with water from 2 to 4 per
cent, by weight of finely pulverized marshmallow root, and you will
lind that it will require a full hour for the mass to set hard. Not only
that, but you will also find that the mass, when dry, can be sawed, filed
or turned off and that it will not shrink, crack or brittle. If 8 per cent,
of the root, by weight, is added, it will require from two to three hours
to set, and the mass will be still harder when dry. When colors are
added to the mass, a tine imitation of marble can be had, or if formed
into tiles these may be painted, polished or varnished.

— 92 —

Painting of Lincrusta with Oil Colors.

A heavy bodied boiled oil, such as is used in the manufacture of
linoleum, i. e., pure linseed oil that is boiled with the required drying
mediums, until it attains the consistency of heavy syrup, mixed with
the desired colors, is the best material we know of for the purpose.

— 93 —

Removing Grease Spots from Stone Work.

To remove grease spots from stone steps or stone floors, pour strong
soda water or boiling hot water over the spot, then lay on a thin bat-
ter made of Fuller's earth and boiling water; let it remain on over
night, and if the grease be not removed repeat the process. Some-
times the grease may be taken out by rubbing the spot with hard
stone, using fine sand and very hot water with soap and soda.

— 94 —

Preventing Coal Tar from Striking Through Oil Paint.

There have been various methods suggested lately, but they are
too complicated, and if the coal tar is well absorbed into the wood in
that case, we should say that a liberal coat of orange or brown shellac
varnish would isolate the coal tar effectually.

— 95 —

United States Lighthouse Paint.

A few years ago the Government used a cheap white or buff-colored
water paint on lighthouses and the stone surrounding them, which
stood fairly well.

The paint in question is, or was, prepared as follows: One-half
bushel of lime is slaked with boiling water and kept covered during
the slaking process to keep in the steam. When cold, it is strained
through an ordinary sieve or paint strainer, then one peck of salt dis-
solved in warm water, three pounds of rice flour stirred in water and
boiled to a thin paste, one pound Spanish whiting and one pound pale
glue, also dissolved, are added to the strained lime mixture, thoroughly
stirred and allowed to stand well covered for several days before using.

739 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED. n

Before applying, the wash must be warmed up in a kettle or portable
furnace and applied with wall brushes as hot as can be done without
injuring the bristles. This paint is said to wear well on wood, brick
or stone. To produce the buff tone, use French ocher as coloring, but
no chrome yellow ; and if a reddish buff is required, use Venetian red
and ocher.

— 96-

Rcd Brick Wash That Will Stand Water.

Stale beer has not sufficient binder to make the paint or wash stand
water, and a wash made with it would be worthless. Mix dry
V^enetian red with skim milk and the action of the lime base will make
the curd of the milk insoluble in water, but should the Venetian red
b^ free from lime, then limewater, whiting or quicklime should be
added to the milk before mixing the red with it. To ascertain whether
the Venetian red contains whiting or lime, drop upon a portion of it
some commercial sulphuric acid, and if the red powder does not effer-
vesce lime in the form needed is not present, and the aforesaid alka-
line addition must be made. If the color is to be waterproof, how-
•ever, add to each gallon thereof one-half gallon boiled linseed oil and
stir well. Still, the wash without the oil, when properly made, will
not wash off for years and makes a good brick renewer.

— 97 —
Finishing Yellow Pine Doors.

Southern yellow pine doors were first sandpapered and dusted off,
then given oqe coat of oil shellac, and when this was dry a finishing
coat of excellent spar varnish was applied. This was done in the
spring, but in the summer they checked off in places, and in the early
fall some of the finish came off in large blotches, leaving the wood
bare.

Yellow pine surface is very difficult to make any kind of finish stay
on, especially when exposed to the sun, because of the sappy or resin-
<»us nature of the wood. We think the cause of the early failure was
due to the oil shellac, which is hardly the proper material for outside
work, as it is of uncertain quality, judging from the prices asked for
it. We would also advise you to never give a guarantee for the dura-
bility of a finish on yellow pine doors that are exposed to the weather,
but to undertake it at the owner's risk only. To refinish the door in
question we would advise you to scrape down to the bare wood and
sandpaper the silrface; dust off thoroughly, then apply one coat ot
boiled linseed oil, cut with a little turps, which brush out thin and
allow to dry hard. Now give a coat of pure grain alcohol shellac var-
nish, then follow with your final coat of good outside or spar varnish,

-98-
Preventing Paint from Peeling on Brick Walls.

Six months after some brick walls had been painted, in places the
paint had peeled off so that there was not a .particle remaining. A
month later the walls were repainted with the same result. This
was probably due to moisture in the wall.

38 739 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED.

There is no known remedy to prevent even the very best paint from
peeling off from damp brickwork, and the conditions of the surface
should be examined before beginning to paint. The bricks may ap-
pear thoroughly dry and yet contain moisture on the inside. In this
case, we think it would have been well to have scraped off whatever
paint yet remained on the bad spots and allowed the sun tovgets its
work in on the walls during the hot months and repainted the surface
then. Of course, on the north side of a building this would be of little
avail, and it would only be doing justice to himself and his patron to
call the latter's attention to the fact that under existing conditions a
durable job cannot be guaranteed. As the paint adhered in some
places and not in others, we can be reasonably sure that the fault was
not in the paint, but most likely to dampness in certain parts of the
wall.

— 99 —

Marine Paints.

A line of paints which are well considered and extensively sold to
the fresh water ship trade are called carbon paints. We append three
formulas covering such goods :

300 lbs. litharge,

300 lbs. powdered wood charcoal,
60 lbs. asbestine pulp,
30 lbs. lamp black,

12 oz. borax dissolved in 6 gals, of water.
240 gals, pure raw linseed oil.

This makes a paint which resists the combined action of water and
weather to an astonishing degree. The paint is not cheap but good.
Cheaper and not so good, but still good is this one :
400 lbs. boneblack,
200 lbs. asbestine pulp or china clay,
20 lbs. gas black,
45 g2Lls. raw linseed oil,
24 gals, glass oil,
22 gals, benzine drier,

24 gals, benzine or naphtha, or, as it is some-
times called, "63 deg. turps."

A good graphite paint is :

240 lbs. plumbago (use good stock),
120 lbs. asbestine pulp or china clay,
20 gals, good varnish oil (coach oil),
65 gals, raw linseed oil,
6 gals, turpentine.

They are made for fresh water work and are very extensively used
upon bottoms in the great lakes trade. We do not know that the paint
has been tried in salt water, save when some of the lake vessels go into
the salt water, as they do every year. We are unable to give any defi-
nite information as to the condition of the» bottoms of such craft and
do not think that the matter has ever been investigated.

739 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED. 39

There iS no evident reason why those formulas should not furnish
a ve^y good salt water paint. The paints would not be likely to devel-
op any marked anti-fouling properties, but might if there was some
verdigris or like material ground into them — something that would
rest unsatisfactorily in the stomach of a barnacle. The paints in ques-
tion will make most excellent anti-corrosive paints for all sorts of ex-
posures.
The following is a good but costly anti-fouling paint :
Grind equal weights of white lead, Brunswick green, verdigris and
arsenic to a paste with linseed oil and varnish, and then thin with mix-
ing varnish.

Here is an enamel paint largely used :

150 lbs. Venetian red,
140 lbs. oxide of zinc.

Grind to a paste with a combination of equal parts of linseed oil and
a good strong varnish. Thin with rosin varnish.
Here is a poison enamel paint :

175 lbs. oxide of zinc,
15 lbs. oxide of mercury.
These are ground into 25 gallons gloss oil and thinned, if need be,
with benzine.

— 100 —

The Blacking of Gold Bronze on Exposure.

When using bronzing liquid, never add turps, for the acid in the
turpentine will, sometimes in two or three weeks, change the color of
bronze. The best thing to add, when bronzing liquid becomes too
thick or gummy, is benzine, which is a more volatile thinner than tur-
pentine. A great deal depends on the ground you put liquid bronze
on. For outside work, which is generally painted in oil color, it is
best, when dry, to use thin glue water and let it dry before applying
bronze liquid, as the glue water v/ill not permit the acid in the oil
color to affect the bronze. To prevent atmospheric influences after
bronze has been applied, go over parts which have been bronzed with
thin glue water. When this is dry, you can varnish it over. Although
the gold bronze will lose a little of its luster, we have known that
bronze applied in this way will last three or more years, and will stand
nearly as good as gold leaf. Gold leaf, of course, will last twenty
years and is more durable. Very often after bronze has been applied
in above way, instead of using thin glue water and varnish over same,
very thin coat of white shellac can be applied over bronze, which will
retain the brightness and durability as long as the shellac will last.
Above is about the only way to keep bronze from tarnishing. We
do not know, nor have ever heard, of any gold bronze being in the
market, which will not tarnish when exposed to the elements.

— lOI —

Kalsomining Old Whitewashed Ceilings.

Whether it works well or not, it is unsafe to put kalsomine over old
lime whitewash or old kalsomine, because of the tendencv to flake.
Kalsomine is stronger in its binding properties than ordinary lime

40 739 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED. '

wash, therefore it requires a strong ground. To remove old lime, wash
or kalsomine is often a difficult and expensive task, and it is better to
bind the old coating down before beginning to apply the kalsomine.
To do this effectively, proceed as follows : If the walls or ceilings have
been whitewashed, and it does not pay to take it off, wash the surface
with strong vinegar and, when dry, give a good coat of glue size or,
better, two thin coats, applied fairly warm, and have the room as
warm as possible. This makes as good a foundation for kalsomine
as can be had on old lime wash. On old kalsomine that cannot well
be removed, apply one or two good coats of alum and glue size, which
is prepared as follows : Dissolve one pound of white rosin soap in hot
water, after slicing the soap fine, soak one pound of white sheet glue
in cold water until soft, pour off the surplus water, sxir the glue and
put In boiling hot water until the glue is thoroughly dissolved and
liquid. Now dissolve two pounds of alum in hot water, then stir the
liquid glue and soap water together and add the alum solution. Then
thin the mixture with warm water to working consistency. This^
makes a safe ground on which kalsomine will work very well.

I02 —

Kind of Linseed Oil Used in Grinding White Lead.

So far as we know, raw linseed oil or bleached linseed oil is com-
monly employed for that purpose, because boiled oil would tend tO'
discolor the product.

— 103 —
How Chamois Skins Should Be Treated.

Chamois skins should never be left in water after using, but should
he wrung out and hung up to dry, and spread out carefully so as to
leave no wrinkles; neither should they be used to wipe soft colors,
because paint stains form hard spots and help to wear out the skins
more rapidly. Neither should the hands be wiped on chamois skin,
as it is liable to become greasy thereby. Never put the skin in hot
water — nothing more than lukewarm, as it will curl up and become
tough. If a chamois skin has been ruined by paint or grease, it is
recommended to soak it in a bucket of soft, clear water, to which has
been added a gill or two of ammonia, over night, and next morning
rinse it out in pure water, after which use freely of white castile soap
and water. This process need not require ovr fifteen minutes' time,
and it is said' that when so treated the skin is of better service than
a new one, because it has been broken in and is free from lint.

— 104 —
Preparing Kalsomine.

Dissolve one pound white sheet glue in hot water, after it has been
soaked in cold water. ]Make a saturated solution of alum in water,
then mix 25 pounds of bolted English clifTstone parts white in water
to a stout paste and add to this the alum solution, then add the liquid
glue and test the mixture for its binding properties, and if it does not
bind well add more glue and let it stand to cool. If the kalsomine is

739 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED. 41

to be tinted, use distemper colors, i. e., colors that have been ground
fine in water, but avoid colors that are affected by lime, such as chrome
yellow, chrome green, Prussian blue, etc., and the tinting colors should
be added to whiting, mixture before the glue is put in. To determine
whether the tint is satisfactory, dip a piece of paper in the mixture and
let it dry. When ready to apply it thin with cold water to required
consistency and use good kalsomining or wall brushes. Lay your
work off evenly and avoid laps. If an edge dries, stop and wet it up
with a clean brush and clear water and do the same where you have
missed a spot and finish up with kalsomine. Should your kalsomine
dry too fast, slow it up with glycerine, say one-quarter pound to two
gallons kalsomine, for in that case you have too much glu6 and alum
and your kalsomine is liable to crack and flake. Practice a little about
your shop or your own house, and you will soon determine the proper
relation between pigment and binder.

— 105 —
Darkening of Oil Paint on Exposed Surfaces.

A painter undertook to paint the front of a dwelling having a south-
ern exposure; the surface being old plaster in good condition, never
before painted. The contract was for one coat of boiled oil and two
coats of paint of a doe brown tint. Good kettle boiled oil was used
for priming, and two days were allowed for drying. Pure white lead
tinted with umber was used for the second coat. This was given two
days to dry, and was followed by the final coat, also of pure white
lead, tinted with pure oil colors. The weather was dry and the job
looked fine when finished, but when the sun shone on it the next morn-
ing, great dark spots began to appear, and two hours afterward the
whole surface looked as if coated with graphite paint. The next day
the painter gave another coat of the paint, followed by the' same re-
sult. The two following days were cloudy and rainy, and the paint
went back to the color as originally applied, though a trifle bleached.

We would say that the turning of the paint to dark gray may be
traced to sulphurous substances in your lead or oil, and you should
have made a trial with other lead and oil, and if this gave a different
result your first material should be examined by a competent chemist.
It is just possible that you are depending too much on the brand of
your lead for its purity, but it is well known that the term "Pure
White Lead" on a package does not necessarily mean pure, and that
only the name of a corroder on the package is a guarantee of purity.
It is scarcely possible that in your case the change was due to sulphur
gases and we believe that the cause is to be found in your material,
and most likely in what you call pure white lead, because you say
that after a few cloudy days the tint lost its gray black color and re-
turned to the original condition, though a trifle bleached. If you have
bought your material from a reputable, house, they will gladly help
you to ascertain the cause of trouble, but if you have used poor mate-
rial you will only have yourself to blame.

42 739 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED. -

— io6 —
Gilding Letters Cut in Soft Stone.

Stop the suction in that part of the letter that is to be gilded with
one or two applications of shellac varnish; then give .one good coat
of oil color, preferably chrome yellow. If there is any danger of the
oil color running out over the shellaced surface, give the sides a coat
of the white of egg or glue size, which may be washed off w^hen the
gilding is finished. Use fat oil gold size for laying your leaf and do not
begin gilding until the size has set so well that it will not become dead
or wipe off when the finger is passed over it lightly, otherwise the gold
leaf will be drowned and without luster.

— 107 —
Paint Blistering on Locomotive Cabs.

Cabs of locomotives, painted in a cold, damp place, blister, except
on panels of poplar. Blistering always occurs on panels made from
old sills of cars, no matter how the paint may be mixed. The painter
who meets these difficulties also wants to know the best method of
mixing paint for locomotives. In view of these facts we think the
blistering due to the damp atmosphere in part and partly to the use
of shellac varnish and first coating with too oily a paint on top of the
shellac. That blistering does not occur on panels of poplar we would
attribute to the fact that poplar is a very soft wood, into which the
shellac varnish sinks more deeply, giving a less glossy surface than it
does on the hard panels made from old sills. For the latter purpose
we would suggest that shellac varnishing as a first coat be discarded
and instead given a thin coat of lead color, made from keg lead and
lampblack, thinned with half oil and half turpentine, adding a little
coach japan. Let this stand a few days, if possible, then give one
coat of flat lead color, made from keg lead and lampblack, or drop
black ground in japan and thinned with turpentine only. This dry
and hard, fill up with knifing lead, where necessary, and putty up. If
the job is to be rubbed apply your guide coat and rub next day. Then
give two coats of color ground in japan, thinned with turpentine, or,
if it must be, your two coats of color and varnish, but we prefer the
former, it being less apt to blister. If the outside surface of the cab
is not In bad condition one coat of lead color, flat, is sufficient ; but for
new work or where the old paint has been removed two coats of lead
color and two coats of knifiing lead cannot well be dispensed with.
On the inside of the cab such great care is not required. This can be
washed down, a coat of shellac varnish given, and right on top of this
a coat of color in japan and one coat of finishing varnish.

The painting of the tank is practically the same as for the outside
of the cab, with the exception that the surface must first be freed from
scales and rust before the lead color is applied.

The trucks under the tanks, after being cleaned from oil and grease
with benzine, may be given a coat or two of good black and varnish.
The smokestack is best coated with lampblack in oil and japan when
the engine is in steam, so that the coating will bake on, as that will

- 739 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED. 43

prevent blistering. The boiler, while still hot, should be given a coat
of pure linseed oil, and right on top of this, before becoming too hatd,
a coat of dry red lead mixed with keg lead and oil. All other parts —
the dome, sand box, driving wheels, fire box and frame of engine —
should have a few coats of lead color, same as on the cab, then be
filled and coated with drop black in japan and varnished or finished
with locomotive black.

— io8 —

To Preserve Copper from Tarnishing.

Pulverize one ounce of hard gum copal, put it into a bottle, and
add to the powder one ounce each of bisulphide of carbon and benzine
and two ounces each of methylated spirits and spirits of turpentine.
Cork up well and shake frequently. This will give a durable, almost
colorless lacquer, of which, if two or three coats are applied, it will
j»reserve the copper.

— 109 —
Black Ink for Show Cards That Will Not Spread.

Take one-half pound of white beeswax and three ounces of ivory
soap. Melt these, and when amalgamated add one ounce dry lamp-
black. Mix well, heat strongly, and add one ounce orange shellac,
dry. Heat the mass again, mix well, and when cool bottle for use.
You will find that you can draw the finest, as well as full lines, without
spreading.

— no —
Repainting of Rusty Tin Roofs.

If the roof is too far gone, it will be to your discredit to attempt
to repaint without informing your patron of the futility of the task.
If, however, the rust has not eaten through the tin, try sandpaper,
which will generally remove thin layers of rust after which dust off the
roof, and give a coat of boiled linseed oil or a very thin paint, and this
dry> give a coat of the paint you usually employ for this purpose. If
the rust spots are very deep, use equal parts of muriatic acid and water
to loosen the scale, then scrape it off, wet the spots with soda water
and rinse with clear water, after which proceed as above.

— Ill —

To Make Varnish Dry Without Luster.

Dissolve one-fourth pound white or yellow beeswax in a pint of
turpentine in a steam bath, same as glue is dissolved. It is best to
slice the wax first, as it will dissolve more readily that way. When
this is added to one quart of varnish, the mixture will dry nearly flat.
If an eggshell gloss is desired, only half the quantity of wax and turps
should be added to a quart of varnish. The wearing properties of the
varnish are not injured by this addition.

44 739 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED,

112

Making Two Coats of White Paint Cover on Yellow Pine.

As yellow pine is very difficult to cover in two coats with white,
because the paint must not be laid on stout on account of the ten-
dency to peel, it is best to follow the advice which has been most suc-
cessful when carried out properly, and that is to prime first with a
mixture of 7 parts pure linseed oil and i part pure pine tar, which
must be well rubbed in. When this is dry, follow with one coat of
pure white lead, thinned with pure raw linseed oil and very little drier,
to which is added enough good lampblack to throw it off the white to
a slightly gray cast. This coat must also be brushed out well, to pre-
vent blistering, and when thoroughly dry and hard give the final coat,
which should be made a little stouter than the first coat and without
any coloring matter. It is essential that the lead and oil be pure, as
adulterated paint will not stand on such work, nor would it give the
body required, unless applied so stout, that it would be 'sure to peel.

■ — "3 —
Alum in Wall Paper Paste.

Alum in paste will, not injure the colors in the paper or the
paper itself, unless it is used in excess. To a bucket of paste,
that consists of four pounds of flour, two ounces of alum is sufficient.
Select the clear crystal alum for the purpose, as the other grades are
too strong. For pasting papers on glossy surfaces omit the alum from
your paste, but add instead about one-half pint of clear syrup to each
gallon of the flour paste. The alum and the syrup serve a similar pur-
pose, i. e., to avoid the striking through of the paste and thereby
staining the paper. Another point must also be observed, that of the
consistency of the paste. On a rough wall use it stout, on a smooth
wall comparatively thin. The only paper that might be affected by
alum in the paste is gilt paper, and in such case it is well to omit the
alum and use a little carbolic acid to keep the paste from souring.

— 114 —

Paste for Pressed Paper.

Take two pounds of flour, mix with enough lukewarm water to
the consistency of thick cream, add one ounce of powdered crystal
alum, a pinch, say one-quarter ounce, of pulverized rosin and one-half
ounce white sugar of lead, also powdered. Now add boiling hot water
and stir until the paste is thoroughly cooked and shows adhesive prop-
erties. Use stout on rough walls and thin on smooth walls.

— US-
Finishing a Dining Room and Parlor.

The most attractive finish was desired for the walls and woodwork
of dining room and parlor in a house costing about $2,000; the ques-
tion was also asked whether it would be in good taste to finish both
rooms alike.

739 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED. 45

The first question is rather difficult to answer, as the writer does
not state the nature of the wood, nor whether he desires to paint or
paper the walls. The prevailing style is to give a natural finish to the
woodwork and have the walls in light tints, harmonizing with the tone
of the finished wood, or to stain the woodwork with some fanciful
pigment stain, generally forest green, with dull green wall paper or
tint for the walls. Forest green enamel for the woodwork is also in
style. When this scheme is employed, it is in perfect taste to have
the dining room finished in a similar manner, especially if the twa
rooms communicate, though it would perhaps be better to have the
tints of the dining room walls a little deeper. At any rate, there should
be no decided contrast.

— lie-
Filler and Paint for Iron Castings.

Mix 3 parts by weight of keg lead that is fairly stiff with 5 parts
black filler, 2 parts whiting and 5 parts silica or silex, which make mto-
a stiflF paste with a mixture of 2 parts each of ordinary rubbing varnish
and coach japan, and i part of turpentine by measure. If not dark
enough to suit, use dry lampblack to deepen. Use this paste as a
putty for the sandholes and other rough places, pressing it in firmly
with the putty knife and level off. For surfacing, thin this paste to-
brushing consistency with turpentine only, and apply it as a paint;
sandpaper when hard. As many coats of this should be applied as
are required to give a smooth surface, and each coat sandpapered.
This surface will resist a fair atnount of heat, but it is not actually
fireproof. For that purpose a putty made from litharge and glycerine,
or a putty made of i part dry litharge, 2 parts black filler and 3 parts
fine iron filings, mixed with silicate of soda (waterglass) will serve
best. Of course, these putties will not do for surfacing. For finishing
over the surfaces any good paste paint of the proper color, when
thinned with one-third coach japan and two-thirds turpentine, will
give a good eggshell finish. For gloss finish thin the paste with one-
third coach japan and two-thirds varnish or boiled oil.

— 117 —
Durable Stain for Shingles.

^ We take it for granted, in considering this, that you do not consider
first cost, but that you wish to prepare oil stains that will wear well
and will not fade or look unsightly for a reasonable period. We would
point out that a pigment stain is the most durable in point of perma-
nency, and that aniline colors had better be avoided. If the shingles
are for roofs from which water is to be collected into cisterns for
drinking purposes colors with lead or copper bases should not enter
into the stains in quantity. To make the stain use earth or mineral
colors chiefly that are ground to the utmost degree of fineness, as
these only will hold up well in a stain and thereby effect a very de-
cided saving in the final cost. If the stain is wanted for dipping the
shingles into, all that is necessary is to break up the oil color or oil
colors with equal parts of boiled linseed oil and liquid dryer, then thin
to the consistency of water with benzine, and keep the stain well stirred

46 7S9 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED,

while dipping the shingles. For brush work, treat the colors in a simi-
lar manner, but thin with turpentine and have the stain somewhat
heavier. The principal point about a stain is to use as little pigment
or color as possible, but have that little of greatest possible staining
power. Accurate figures cannot be given ; proportions must be ascer-
tained by practice. The red and brown oxides, umbers, siennas and
Vandyke brown are best adapted for yellow, brown and red stains.
For the various green tones mixtures of lampblack or umber, strong
ocher and Prussian blue had best be used, and chrome* yellows and
chrome greens be omitted for reasons given above.

— ii8 —

Mixing Dry Red Lead with Linseed Oil for Painting Iron Structures.

A great deal depends on the purity and fineness of the dry red lead..
|but we should say that 25 pounds of pure, dry red lead should be
thinned with one gallon of pure raw linseed oil, by stirring the oil in
graduall}^ and should the mixture become lumpy it should be strained
through a piece of wire cloth or paint strainer. This will make one
and a half gallons of stout paint, which, when brushed well into the
iron structure, will not fun. If the job is to be hurried, a gill of feood
oil drier or turpentine japan may be added to the mixture. If the
iron be fairly smooth and plenty of elbow grease used, such paint will
cover 700 square feet one coat to the gallon.

— 119 —

Coating Lead Water Pipes with Paint.

As paint will not stand on wet or damp metal, you must drain the
water out of the pipe and let it dry. Then apply a coat of best coach
or sf)ar varnish, thinned with plenty of turps. When thoroughly hard
apply same paint as is used on the walls, but be sure you have the
pipe drained and dry every time you apply a coat of paint.

— 120 —
A Quick Drying, Serviceable Floor Paint,

If first cost is not objectionable, we know of nothing better for old
floors than to add some dry mineral paint, as ocher, Indian red, umber,
burnt sienna, etc., to shellac varnish, and thin this mixture with
enough alcohol to make it spread freely and allow of laying it off. It
dries so rapidly that a second coat may be given one hour after the
first has been applied. Two hours after applying the second coat the
floor should be flushed with clean, soft water, and in about ten minutes
it should be mopped up with a soft cloth. Wood alcohol shellac var-
nish will serve as well as grain alcohol shellac, and wood alcohol may
be used for thinning.

— 121 —
White Lead in Oil Hardening Under Water.

A painter, who bought white lead in 250 pound kegs, kept water on
top of the lead after opening package, but in a few days found a thick

739 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED. 47

crust or gummed-up layer on top that had to be run through a hand
mill before it could be used.

The answer to this is very simple. Your so-called white lead is
not pure lead. It is, no doubt, a mixture or zinc and barytes, which
will not stand water, but will set hard under its influence. If you
ask the party who sold you this white lead, he will tell you that you
must put oil on top, in place of water, and give you some plausible
reason why this is necessary for that particular brand. If you are
paying for pure white lead you are being imposed upon ; if not, you
should have known that you must not use water.

122

What Is Whiting Composed Of?

Whiting is prepared from white chalk or carbonate of lime, large de-
posits of which are found nearly everywhere, especially in England
and France. This white has a soft and earthy fracture and is without
polish. It leaves a mark and adheres to the tongue without any greasy
feeling. It has sometimes a yellowish cast, but is more frequently
grayish, seldom a clear white. Contains a small portion of silica and
sometimes traces of clay, magnesia or iron. The best of brands are
those known as English Cliffstone and American Paris White. Com-
mercial or common whiting is usually very gritty and very much off
to the gray in color.

— 123 — .
Method to Soften Japan Colors That Have Become Hard in Collap-
sible Tubes.

If the colors are gummed up merely, work them out on a slab with
muUer or spatula, adding turpentine gradually, until working con-
sistency is obtainable. If necessary, strain them to free the color from
particles of skin. Should the colors have become solid in the tubes,
cut the tubes and remove the color, and cut it up in small particles
and saturate these with chloroform or coal tar benzole. When soft-
ened work out with muller or spatula, and allow solvents to evaporate
before adding japan or varnish. If benzole is used, be careful to have
no light or fire near, as it is very inflammable. Should any of the
colors, as in the case of lakes or vermilion, be badly livered they may
as well be thrown away, as good work cannot be done with these.

— :I24 —

Roughstuff for Carriage Work.

We present the following: No. i. Equal parts of Reno Filler and
white lead in oil, by weight, made into a stout paste with equal parts,
by measure, of coach japan and quick' rubbing varnish. This paste is
thinned for use with turpentine. Two coats may be applied per day.

No. 2. Mix 5 pounds Reno Filler with 2 pounds white lead in oil,
and give enough rubbing varnish and coach japan to make a stiff paste,
which reduce to proper consistency with turps. Only one coat of
this should be applied on the same day.

In making roughstuff with white lead in oil have the latter fairly
stiff ground.

48 7S9 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED,

— las —
Waxes for Glazed Papers.

We are not familiar with the special treatment of waxes that are to
be used on glazed papers, but would say that, with some slight modifi-
cation that may be required after a trial, the following method may
answer as well on glazed paper as on other kinds. Dissolve paraffin
wax in benzine in a hot water bath, and apply the warm solution to
the paper with a sponge, laying the sheets between flannel cloth to
absorb any surplus. For quick work the paraffin wax may be dis-
solved in carbon disulphide, when the paper will be ready in five min-
utes after solution is applied.

If both sides of paper are to be waxed, the paper may be dipped into
the, solution, but the sponge treatment is giving better results.

Another method is to lay the paper flat on a smooth table and go
over it rapidly with a heavy hot iron, against which is held a piece
of white beeswax or paraffin wax which, melting, runs down on the
paper and is absorbed by it.

— 126 —
Finish for Hardwood Floor That Will Not Show Scratches.

Good alcohol shellac varnish, when properly applied,, will dry so
hard that it cannot be scratched readily, and when suitably colored
will not show white marks, even when scratched. Here are two for-
mulas for making shellac varnish that admit of free working and easy
application. To 5 pounds bleached shellac add 2 pounds Venice tur-
pentine (the clear goods are best) and 16 pounds 95 per cent, alcohol
(grain or wood alcohol, or a mixture of the two). Put all in a large
glass jar or earthen crock and cork well. Shake occasionally or stir with
a clean wooden paddle until all the shellac is dissolved, and the var-
nish is then ready for application. If desirable, some earth color, like
sienna or. ocher or umber, may be added to the shellac, but these
must be impalpably fine and of the strongest staining power, because
only very little should be used to prevent the varnish from becoming
too opaque.

If a darker varnish is equally suitable, as it should be for oaken
floors, especially dark oak, the solution may be made with 4 parts
orange shellac, 2 parts Venice turpentine and 18 parts of 95 per cent,
alcohol, to which color may also be added. In both cases the Venice
turpentine has the function of imparting elasticity to the varnish and
to permit its being spread uniformly and its being laid off evenly.
Better make a test in the shop first on similar wood, and if too stout
to work freely, thin with more alcohol until satisfactory spreading
property is attained. For hardwood finish, if a little coloring matter in
the varnish is desirable, it should be of the rich, transparent sort, so
as not to hide the grain of the wood too much. Two coats will make a
very hard, durable finish on a floor, and though somewhat expensive
finish for floors, it has many advantages over fat varnish ts.

7J9 PAINT ^ QUESTIONS ANSWERED, 49

— 127 —

Sizing Burlap or Canvas Walls for Painting.

The surface of a burlap-covered wall has had several coats
of kalsomine or other water paint; therefore it will first be neces-
sary to ascertain the binding property of the old paint. If in good
condition, you may begin to paint as you would on a hard plastered
wall, omitting glue size, using pure white lead and raw linseed oil for
first coat, and following up as is your custom for the succeeding coats
in gloss or flat work. If the old work is chalky, however, it should
be broomed down thoroughly and then a coat of glue and alum size
given or a coat of suction varnish, such as is offered by many varnish
makers, will also answer. In making a glue size for this kind of work,
use 2 oz. of alum to every pound of glue, and have your size thin and
fairly warm when applying it.

— 128 —
Silking, or Enameling, of Varnish.

F. B. Gardner, formerly superintendent of. the varnish department
of Brewster & Co.'s renowned carriage works, in New York City, de-
fines this deviltry in varnish as follows : Silking, or enameling, defines
a varnished surface, which, on drying, assumes the appearance of silk
or pressed leather. He says that it may be caused by varnishing in a
room where the temperature is below 70 deg. F., or where there is
draught; or it may be caused by the addition of turpentine to the
varnish without allowing it to stand long enough to amalgamate with
the oil and gum in the same. We would add to this that varnish
applied on damp, humid, sticky days, or the use of a brush from which
the oil has not been thoroughly removed or the mixing of different
brands of varnish will also bring about this condition of surface, and
that the only remedy known is to remove the objectionable coat by
rubbing down with pumice and water.

— 129— I ;

Filler to Answer for Both Hard and Soft Woods.

The very best filler that we know of for this class of work is shellac
varnish, but we take it for granted that you want a shellac substi-
tute, something that will cost you far less than shellac varnish.
Take, say two pounds ground silex or the same quantity of
finely pulverized china clay, stir into this one pint of good liquid
drier, beating the mass thoroughly ; then add gradually while stirring
three quarts of extra light hard oil finish or a good, pale furniture
varnish ; let stand awhile and then strain through a fine sieve. If too
stout to work freely, thin with spirits of turpentine. The silex or
clay must be bone-dry.

— 130 —
Testing Linseed Oil for Presence of Mineral Oil.

To detect the presence of mineral oil in linseed oil, place some of the
suspected oil in a large test tube, and add to it a concentrated solution

50 739 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED,

of soda or potash, shaking it well ; then adding some warm water and
shaking again. Le»c the tube stand undisturbed about twenty or thirty-
minutes and the mineral oil, if present, will separate from the soap
which has been formed by the linseed oil and soda solution.

— 131 —

Wall Paper Loosening on Hard-Finished Walls. .

The application of glue size and sugar is required only for
preparing painted or varnished walls and not for plastered walls. The
walls of a kitchen are apt to be smoky, if not greasy, and should have
been cleaned instead of applying the size.' A good, thin flour paste,
with about two ounces of alum dissolved in water to a bucket of the
paste, put on as thin as possible, just enough to cement on the paper,
is sufficient for a wall that has no suction ; but where the wall is soft or
porous, the paste must be put on thick. The vapors generated in a
kitchen will soften the size and loosen the paper.

— 132 —
Matt Gold in Glass Gilding, with Burnished Outlines.

Lay the leaf which is to form the matt gold center in the ordinary
way in varnish size, and you will find that on the opposite side, in con-
trast with the burnished gold, it will appear decidedly dead or flat.
The outlines that are to be burnished are laid in isinglass or gum arable
sizes, which is applied with a clean camel's hair spalter, the leaf laid
on, the glass set up edgewise, and when dry the leaf is rubbed briskly
with refined cotton until the desired luster is obtained. Then a second
leaf is laid in the same manner, and when dry rubbed over lightly ; then
washed repeatedly with sizing to secure a spotless surface. Now it
ib ready for the design, if such is desired.

— 133 —

Preparing Painted Walls for Wall Paper.

When painted walls are to be papered they should first be well
cleansed with suds made from white Castile soap and warm water, such
suds to be applied with a wall brush, scrubbing lightly, and then
sponged with clear water, using a large sponge, and dried with
chamois skin. The next important point in papering painted or var-
nished walls is the preparation of the paste, which must differ from
that used for plastered walls, inasmuch as alum must not enter into its
composition, and requires an addition of gummy binder to that of the
starchy nature wanted for other work. Make a wheat flour paste, as
usual, but omitting alum, instead of which add to an ordinary bucket
of paste a solution of three sheets of isinglass in one pint of hot water
and two ounces refined glycerine, or if the isinglass cannot readily be
obtained, use one pint of best golden syrup in its place. By following
the foregoing suggestions there need be no fear of the paper not stick-
ing permanently unless other causes, such as continual dampness, aris-
ing steam vapors, etc., should be removing agents.

739 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED. 51

— 134 —

How Should Graining Color Be Prepared?

For graining in oil, thin your paste colors with boiled oil and turpen-
tine. If it does not flow well, add a little soap or whiting. For dis-
temper, have your colors ground in pulp form in water, and thin with
stale ale or beer. In winter time, to keep the color from creeping,
rub over the groundwork with common whisky before beginning to
apply the color.

— 13s —

To Clean Soiled Wall Paper.

First thoroughly dust off the walls and ceilings wherever the paper
to be cleaned may be. Tie up two quarts of wheat bran in a coarse
flannel cloth or bag made of flannel and rub it over the paper briskly,
taking care to miss none of the space.

— 136 —
Polishing Paste for All Kinds of Metal.

The following is highly recommended as a first-class cleaner of brass,
copper, nickel, etc.: Pulverize one part by weight of oxalic acid, 15
parts peroxide of iron, and 20 parts rotten stone ; mix and sift to re-
move any and all grit; then rub this with 60 parts palm oil and 4 parts
vaseline to a smooth paste. Apply with flannel or other soft cloth and
polish in the usual manner.

— 137 —

To Make Cloth Waterproof and Elastic.

Take one-half pound pure Para rubber, cut into small pieces and
dissolve in enough disulphide of carbon to make a liquid mass of the
consistency of thin syrup. Also melt two pounds of rosin, and add to
this two gallons of oil, previously boiled with litharge; in other words,
heating the oil and rosin together; take from fire, and before the mass
becomes quite cold, add the rubber solution. Should this composition
dry too slow, add some good drying japan, sufficient to dry in 36 or
48 hours. The mixture should be applied warm, and if too thick, heat
it in a sand or water bath without direct flame. The cloth must be
previously soaked in a solution of alum and water. Any drying color
may be added to this mixture.

-138 —
Proper Preparation of Wax Finish m Color.

Proceed for the priming and subsequent coat or coats same as for
an oil color finish, thin for thin coat, with equal parts of oil and turps,
adding enough beeswax, that has been dissolved in turpentine, to give
a dead sort of gloss.

In order to obtain a surface thoroughly uniform, some water is
added to the paint, which, on brushing out, lies over the surface like
dew and allows the workman to paint without laps or shiners, because
it does not permit the turpentine to evaporate quickly. Should the

52 739 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED,

surface be uneven in spite of good workmanship, a coat of sour milk
or buttermilk is said to remedy the defects.

— 139 —
Silvering on Glass and Bronzing on Glass.

1. To produce a mirror it is best to use quicksilver, proceeding as
follows : Lay a piece of tinfoil on a smooth and perfectly flat surface
and pour mercury over it to the depth of one-eighth of an inch. Have
the glass plate to be coated perfectly clean and dry, and slide it gently
over the mercury, just a trifle below its surface, and when glass is well
covered, hold it under pressure for a while and then stand it on edge
to drain.

2. To silver on glass for sign work, the following is highly recom-
mended :

Solution A. — Dissolve twelve Troy grains of Rochelle salts in boil-
ing water ; then add, while boiling, sixteen grains nitrate of silver that
have been previously dissolved in one ounce of water ; continue to boil
ten minutes longer; then add enough water to make twelve ounces
in all.

Solution B. — Dissolve one ounce nitrate of silver in ten ounces of
water; add liquid ammonia, drop by drop, until the brown precipi-
tate is nearly, but not quite, dissolved; then add one ounce of grain
alcohol and sufficient water to make twelve ounces. Mix equal parts
of solutions A and B thoroughly ; pour the mixture on the glass, which
must be wet, but free from grease, etc. It is best to first clean the
glass with moderately strong soda water and have it well rinsed.

The solutions should be made with filtered or distilled soft water,
and the mixture be allowed to stand a few days before using it. It
will keep for a long time when bottled and well corked. This process
will also answer for mirrors, but is more expensive than No. i.

3. See also No. 71. The sizes given for laying gold leaf on glass
will answer for gold bronze as well, and the brilliancy of the burnish
will depend to a great extent on the quality of the glass to which the
bronze is applied, and on the grade of your bronze powder.

The quicker the bronze hardens on the glass, the brighter will be
the effect, but it must not be expected to successfully rival gold leaf.

— 140 —

Difference Between French Yellow Ocher and Ordinary Americaa

Ocher.

The selected grades or brands of French ocher are highly valued,
because of their uniform bright yellow color, which, without the ad-
dition of chrome, give a natural chrome yellow tone, or at least the
nearest approach given by earth colors. Neither this tone nor color,
nor the fine, smooth working properties of the selected French ocher
has yet been attained by American ochers, at least not in appreciable
quantities, and therefore the value of French ochers is twice, eveft
thrice, as high as that of good grades of American ochers.

739 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED. 53

— 141 —
Killing Knots in Wood.

Alcohol shellac mixed with red lead will do the work well
on inside work; glue size and red lead and gutta percha, dis-
solved in ether, ar« also well spoken of. But where the sun's
rays have free access, either inside or outside, all these preventa-
tives fall short of the mark. The sun will draw the pitch and make it
show through paint in spite of all these precautions. Even sizing the
knot with oil size and laying a leaf of gold or silver over it, has failed
in some cases. For fine work, it is best to place a hot iron over the
knot, and when a good portion of the sap has come out and been re-
moved by scraping, lay two leafs of gold or silver over it, and this
will be found a sure cure.

— 142 —
To Paint Ornaments or Letters on Cloth Covered Books.

Dissolve gum shellac in 95 per cent, alcohol at the rate of one pound
of shellac to three pints of alcohol, and mix with it any dry color de-
sired. If it becomes too thick, thin with more alcohol. This works
free, does not bleed out, imparts brilliancy to the color and wears well.
Will also answer on paper.

— 143 —
Flatting of Tuscan Red Trimming Color.

Tuscan red is composed chiefly of oxide of iron, enriched by the ad-
dition of lake, and all oxide of iron pigments have a tendency to go
flat, unless the undercoats are thoroughly hard and dry before finish
is applied. Not only that, but a glossy coat over high gloss will always
give a dead appearance, same as a flat coat is apt to show up glossy
when put over too flat a ground.

Therefore, hold your groundwork for the trim semi-flat and do not
use turpentine in your finishing coat of Tuscan red, and for extra pre-
caution, add a little exterior varnish, but let it be good varnish that
contains neither rosin nor benzine.

— 144 —
Papering a Wall Paper and Paint Store.

Advice is asked as to the best way of papering a double store ; the
front part to serve as a salesroom, the rear part as a display and stock
room.

No, we would not advise you to paper both sides alike,
especially as you state that they are connected only by a small door,
having a wall between them. We would suggest that you have the
front part or salesroom papered in light tints, both for walls and ceil-
ing, with a border representing a fairly deep molding, selecting the
tint for walls so as to set off store fixtures as well as the goods to best
advantage, and yet have the whole harmonizing and pleasing to the
eye. It is impossible for us to give you an idea as to color from this

54 739 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED.

distance, and you had better rely on your own taste in that particular.
As to the rear part, we would suggest a somewhat deeper tint and
plain paper, without designs or ornaments, so as not to interfere with
the effect in exhibiting the various wall paper designs, etc. A pearl
gray or silver gray tint would probably be the best background for this
room. Light must be the chief consideration in a display room, and
this must influence you in your selection.

— 145 —
Lettering on Cotton Fabric.

Size the surface only, where the letters are to be placed,
with a weak solution of gelatine or white sheet glue, to which a little
glycerine has been added in order to keep it elastic. The lettering
should be done with tube colors, which are to be thinned with pure
boiled linseed oil, in which has been melted some pure beeswax, say
one-half pound of beeswax to one-half gallon of the oil, and sufficient
spirits of turpentine to make the color dry semi-flat. This is impor-
tant, as it will keep the color from peeling and yet elastic enough to
prevent it from breaking.

Each 'succeeding coat should be held even a little less oily, and this
treatment will answer for linen, shirting, etc., as well. The principal
point is to prevent the color from striking through the fabric as much
as possible, therefore it must not be too oily. If the letters are to be
solid, use opaque colors ; if they are required to be transparent, select
transparent colors. As to the brushes, use similar to those used in
fine sign writing.

— 146 —

Oak Staining in Various Styles.

Various effects in staining oak may be had by any of the following
treatments, the solutions or decoctions being repeatedly applied, until
the desired effect is obtained :

1. Lay on liquid ammonia with a sponge or brush. The color thus
given to oak does not fade. When dry, rub over with spirits of tur-
pentine ; then fill and varnish. In place of the liquid ammonia bichro-
mate of potash dissolved in cold water will serve as well and give a
richer effect.

2. Whitewash the dressed oak with freshly slaked lime, and when
dried rub off the dry lime with a stiff brush thoroughly and dress with
boiled linseed oil.

3. Apply a strong solution of common soda, givng two coats. Sand-
paper lightly and finish with linseed oil.

4. To darken oak, German cabinet makers use very strong coffee,
and to give a very dark effect they put iron filings into a mixture of
equal portions of sulphuric acid and water, applying the resulting so-
lution repeatedly until satisfactory. This stain penetrates deeply into
the wood.

5. A strong decoction of green walnut shells will bring oak to any
dark shade desired, even to black.

7S9 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED, 55

6. Sixteenth century finish or antique oak may be produced by
sponging oak with a mixture of equal parts of sulphuric acid and
water, or by staining it with finely powdered raw umber in thin shellac
varnish.

7. The golden oak finish, so prevalent in furniture, is obtained by .
staining quartered oak with a mixture of two parts coach japan, one
part best turpentine asphaltum varnish and two parts turpentine. The
wood is then filled with a paste filler, that is colored with burnt umber
and a little dropblack, and finished in the usual manner.

— 147 —
Tools Required for Gilding and How to Burnish Gold Leaf.

The tools required for gilding on glass, wood or iron
are very few in number. A camel's hair spalter for applying the
size to glass and a sable hair pencil or brush for wood or iron, es-
pecially heavy sign work. A so-called gold knife with long, slender
blade for cutting the gold leaf books, a *'tip" for lifting the
leaf, made of two pieces of paste board, between which a
small quantity of camel's hair is laid and glued together;
a cushion made by laying a piece of cotton on one side of an
oblong piece of wood, 6 by 8 inches, over which is tightly stretched a
piece of chamois skin, to lay on the leaf. A good, soft duster, a piece
of crayon chalk, a tracing wheel, a pouncing bag, some refined white
cotton and the necessary pencils and brushes for shading and backing
up, complete the outfit. The burnishing is done with the cotton..

We would recommend the "Gilders' Manual" as a book of reference.

— 148 —
The Best Paint for a Tin Roof.

We have referred this question to a thoroughly experi-
enced painter, who says: "There is a great diversity of opinion on
this subject, and it is a difficult task to give an impartial answer. Me-
tallic brown has been the orthodox material for roof painting these
many years, and it has given the utmost satisfaction wherever I have
employed it, providing the roofs were in fit condition to be painted.
Failures with metallic brown cannot often be laid at the door of this
material, but must be looked for in the thinners, or in the bad condition
of the tin. Rust once formed cannot be arrested by a coat of paint,
no matter how good that paint may be, nor can it be expected that the
thinning of a good pigment with rosin or mineral oil or other sub-
stitutes for linseed oil will tend toward the longevity of the paint under
any conditions. Any one who knows what trash some tin roofers
employ for first coating new roofs will not be surprised when the best
of material gives way.

"I have tried Venetian red and have had as good results as from
metallic brown, but I have always used standard brands, ground in
paste form by reputable manufacturers, never any snide stuff that was
loaded with barytes or other worthless base, such as marble dust or
clay. Have also used graphite, but this has been so recent that I can-
not pass an opinion as to the probable outcome. A brother painter is

S6 739 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED.

very enthusiastic on the subject of liquid coal tar for tin roofs and
points with pride to some jobs that he did with coal tar, with which he
mixed some heavy boiled linseed oil, thinning with heavy naphtha,
but the jobs ahe rather young yet, not over a year old, at most."

— 149 —
Treatment of Hard Maple Floors.

If the floors are well dressed and smooth » sandpapered, proceed
by giving two or» three coats of white shellac varnish. For first
coat use the shellac varnish rather thin, so as to make it spread more
freely. This treatment will give your finish as good a wear as it is
possible to obtain.

— 150 —

Paint for Metal Ceilings.

The first thing to do is to clean the ceilings before re-
painting with soapsuds to which a little ammonia may be added,
scrubbing brush, sponge and elbow grease and a good rinsing with
clear water and sponge afterward. If there are no defects in the paint,
such as chipping or scaling, any paint, such as is used for inside work,
will serve the purpose, and it depends on the use of the room in ques-
tion whether lead paint or zinc paint should be employed. In a drug
store or laboratory, pure zinc white should be used, while for school-
rooms, halls, stores or saloons, white lead can be applied with safety.
If two coats* are to be given and the color of the ceilings is to be in
delicate tint or in clear white, the last coat should be zinc white in
any case. The mixing of the paint, of course, depends on the finish
wanted, flat or glossy, and is the same as for any other ceiling or wall
work,^ that is simply to be recoated.

— 151 —

White Lead Unsuitable for Priming Iron Work.

That white lead in oil does not make a good priming paint
for iron is certain, but the subject is too extensive a one to be
explained in these columns. White lead does not have the oxidizing
influence on linseed oil that red lead has, and therefore it does
not become so hard and cement like, nor has it the opacity of red lead.

White lead makes a porous paint with linseed oil, and the more
hydrate of lead is present, the more porous the paint. Red lead, on
the other hand, is an oxide of lead, and acts on linseed oil as a strong
drier, making a practically non-porous paint. Mixtures of two parts
of red lead to one part of white lead are now much in favor and
seemingly giving excellent results. Trials have so far advanced that
engineers in the East are almost universally adopting this material for
the priming and second coating of structural iron. Oxide of iron as
priming for iron work is losing its hold very generally and is used
only by those who look to cheapness rather than durability.

7i9 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED. $7

— 15a —

Painting a Frame House in Colonial Style.

A house that has been painted pearl gray body, deep maroon trim,
Venetian red sash and bronze green shutters, is to be painted in Colo-
nial style, with yellow body and white trim and sash and green shut-
ters. The owner will not pay for more than two coats.

For first coat on body of house use strictly pure white
lead tinted a decided buft with French yellow ocher, thinning with
two-thirds raw oil and one-third turps, holding the paint stout and
brushing it out well so as to cover. For second coat mix 80 parts pure
white lead with 20 parts good American zinc white, tinting to the de-
sired shade with medium chrome yellow or lemon yellow and ocher,
thinning with pure raw linseed oil and a little liquid drier. For the
trimming and sash use for first coating pure lead with a trifle of lamp-
black, just. enough of the latter to throw it off the straight white,
thinning also with twp-thirds raw oil and one-third turps. A little
drier will be found necessary for these first coatings. For finishing
coat use with the pure lead about 15 per cent, zinc white and thin with
raw oil and a little liquid drier. If this looks somewhat yellow on ap-
plication, it will bleach out white on drying. For the shutters any
good chrome green will cover well in two coats.

— 153 —

Dressing for Renewing Old Carriage Tops.

Unless you use quite a great deal of leather top dressing
we should advise you to purchase it ready made, because it will not
pay you to set your shop or house on fire, and the melting of asphaltum
is quite a risky piece of business for a novice in the art. We shall
give you the least costly formula for a black enamel dressing for old
canvas or leather tops, as follows: Melt 25 pounds asphaltum with
one pint of boiled linseed oil ; take your kettle a good distance from
the fire, and before cooling, thin with turps or with equal parts of
turps and benzine to the consistency of thin varnish. If on cooling it
does not work freely, use more thinners, and if it does not dry quick
enough, add sufficient coach japan to insure drying.

— 154-

Painters' Measurements and Prices.

We can give general rules only for measuring, and you
will have to exercise your judgment as to conditions of surface. So,
for instance, if the sidmg has deep impressions, add 50 P^r cent, to the
area of surface; for rough weather-boarding, etc., allow double mea-
sure. Window and door framies, in and outside, also double. Venetian
shutters, double the measure of plain work. Window sash is to be
measured square. Corner strips on frame houses, if painted with a
different color from siding, to be double. Cornices should be allowed
50 per cent, to the actual measurement. The prices per square yard
for ordinary tints are 10 cents for first coat, 6 cents for second coat
and 4 cents for third coat. For solid colors, like blue, chrome yellow,
chrome green, etc., 14 cents for first, 10 cents for second and 8 cents

58 7S9 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED.

for third coat. For deep green, bronze green and vermilion, i6 to 20
cents for first and 12 to 15 cents for second coat.

For good jobs of graining, $1.00 per yard, including groundwork,
is allowed, with a leeway of 25 to 35 per cent., according to the amount
of labor or quality of color required. We are unable to give you the
price charged per roll for hanging wall paper, as that depends very
much on the conditions of the walls, as well as on the quality of the
paper; and we think that you might be the better judge of that after
one or more trials.

— 155 —

Cheap Method of Gilding Chairs, etc.

The question was asked how the gilt chairs are made that are sold
for less money than gold leaf can be put on for.

The chairs in question are not covered with gold leaf, but
with a first-class gold bronze. They are first filled with wood filler,
smooth sandpapered and the gold bronze applied in the wet way. Be-
fore this has a chance to set hard, dry bronze is rubbed over the sur-
face with cotton until a burnish is obtained that almost equals gold
leaf in luster. Many housewives buy gold bronze and liquid for this
very purpose, and obtain very fair results in ornamentation, which is
all that is wanted in gilt chairs, etc.

-156-
Deodorizing Lubricating Mineral Oils.

To each gallon of the oil add three ounces chloride of
lime; put the mixture in a wooden cask and while stirring violently
add one ounce of muriatic acid to ea<ih gallon. Keep on stirring, so
as to bring all of the oil in contact with the chlorine gas.

Now pass the oil into another cask containing dry slaked lime, which
absorbs the free chlorine gas. The oil is then drawn off and may be
flavored with oil of myrbane or synthetic oil of thyme (organum),
both of which are comparatively strong and cheap.

— 157 —

Making Vermilion Dipping Paint.

So you would like to have a formula to make a satisfactory
vermilion dip, hey? So would many another man in the paint line.
You do not state whether you want a flat or a gloss dip. In the first
place, you require a vermilion that has the best orange mineral, not
ordinary red lead, for its base ; next you want to avoid the use of make
weight material, such as barytes, clay, silica or marble dust in connec-
tion with your vermilion, and if inferior, cheapening base must be
employed, select one of light specific gravity. Now, if the dip is to
dr>'' flat, grind your pigment in a good coach japan (that is free from
rosin) and raw linseed oil and thin with turpentine. If it is to be
thinned with benzine, however, grind in raw oil and break up the paste
with a liquid drier that will not curdle oil and thin with deodorized
benzine Tnot gasoline). Under no condition, however, make more at
any time than can be used in, say, forty-eight hours.

729 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED. 59

Dipping vermilions for one coat dipping to dry with gloss are fakes
and will not only partly settle, but will clog and become a liver, unless
used as soon as made. The varnish usually employed will not act
well with pigment containing oxide of lead as base.

There are pigments that will hold up better than vermilion in the
red group, but these are more expensive and lack body to such an ex-
tent as to prevent their use.

— 158 —
Papering a Parlpr with Beamed and Panel Ceiling.

In a parlor, the side walls of which are to be papered in white and
gold relief and the brick breast brought up in white enamel, the ceiling
is beamed the length of the room and paneled between, the side beams
being lower than those in the middle of the ceiling.

From this description it would appear that the architect has
intended to carry the cove moulding at the bottom of side beams
round the entire room, casing up the end walls flush with the plaster,
so as to avoid the unfinished appearance of butting the beams into the
plastered walls, but the carpenter has probably misunderstood the
drawings. There are several methods to partially overcome the diffi-
culty :

1. Use no frieze, but carry the wall paper up as far as the plastered
wall continues, cutting in between the beams.

2. Carry the frieze round the room about 18 to 24 inches below the
lowest beams. Above this use a ceiling paper that matches the side
walls, cutting it in between the end of the beams, and either tint the
ceiling panels with distemper or use a plain tint paper.

3. Use the ceiling paper for the frieze; keeping the picture moulding
at the level of the top panels of the doors. The frieze can then cut in
between the beams.

— 159 —

Graphite Paint for Smokestack.

Opinions differ on this point, but we would prefer graphite in boiled
oil to coal tar or asphaltum varnish, unless the stack is to be very
glossy and jet black, in which case we should use a high-grade elastic
black varnish.

— 160 —
To Keep the Polished Tops of Bars and Counters in Good Condition.

Mix one pint boiled linseed oil with one-half pint of strong vinegar,
and after cleansing the bar or counter tops with lukewarm water, take
a woolen cloth saturated with above mixture and rub briskly over all
parts of the top until clean and polished.

— 161 —

Attaching a Block and Fall to a Smokestack.

An iron smokestack of the height of fifty to sixty feet is gen-
erally of a fair diameter, and has knees or brackets riveted on inside
on which to get to the top. A man climbs up on these and takes

6o 739 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED,

with him a rope, one end of which he throws to the ground, and then
pulls up hooks, block and fall. If the stack is not provided with brack-
ets in the manner described, it will be necessary to have extension
ladders or scaffold.

— 162 —
Getting Dirt out of Varnish Brushes.

After soaking the brushes for a few days in raw linseed oil,
get a good sized unplaned board, not tpo rough, fill the brush and
work out on the board, bearing on hard. This will cause the dirty
oil to ooze out at the butt end of the bristles, which should be wiped
off quite frequently. Continue the treatment for about fifteen min-
utes, then wipe dry and work into some varnish remnant. Work out
over the fingers, getting well into the butt. With a brush cleaned out
this way, even a beginner can lay a clean coat of color and varnish,
and after a week's steady use the brush should be clean and broken
in well enough to do any job of varnishing. When not in use, the
brushes should be placed in a dust-free brush keeper.

— 163 —
Cheap Method of Frosting Glass.

The cheapest method we know of is to dissolve epsom salts in
gum arabic water and let it stand over night. To use it lay your
glass flat and flow on the solution ; then when it is about to set, pounce
or lay off. Another method is to use sugar of lead ground in equal
parts of damar varnish and turpentine, and stipple it on the glass. To
do a good job by either method requires practice.

— 164 -r-
Brick Stains, How to Prepare.

To stain the bricks on a building to correspond with new bricks in an
addition : Take fine sand, that has been washed clean and dried, and
mix with a like quantity of good Portland cement in water fairly stout ;
then add dry Indian red or Venetian red and yellow ocher until the
proper color is obtained. Then thin down to the consistency of ordi-
nary whitewash and apply with wall brushes, taking care to keep the
stain well stirred while using. For buff or cream colored brick stain,
use yellow ocher of the required shade and depth as coloring matter,
adding commercial whiting or slacked lime, if very light shades are re-
quired.

-165-
To Climb a Flagpole Without Climbing Spurs.

We have seen men climb poles over 100 feet in height
without anything but their stockings on, while others came down
again in a hurry before they were up 25 feet. It depends on your
agility and gymnastic training, as well as your physical ability. If
you are lacking in these qualities you had better remain on the ground,
unless it pays you to erect a scaffold. But why not use the climbing
spurs, as a flagpole is painted from the top downward and the marring
could be obliterated.

r39 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED. 6r

— 166 —
How to Prepare Deeply Penetrating Ebony Stain.

Much depends on the nature of the wood that you desire to stain^
Soft woods will take the decoctions readily, while the hard woods
have great resistance.

For hard wood, such as walnut, boil 40 parts by weight of gall nuts,
4 parts of rasped logwood, 5 parts of copperas and 5 parts of verdigris
in soft water for at least one hour; strain the mixture through linen
and apply to the wood while warm. Then give it four coats of iron
filings that have been dissolved in three times their weight of vine-
gar. Must also be applied warm. For soft wood, a stain made by boil-
ing together over a slow fire one gallon vinegar, one-half pound cop-
peras, one-quarter pound Prussian blue, two ounces nutgalls and two-
pounds extract of logwood, and then adding a half pint measure of
ferric oxide, will do the work, if applied warm, after straining.

— 167 —
Good Putty, How It May Be Prepared.

To make your own putty without the required machinery is a te-
dious and wearisome job. Glaziers' putty is made of whiting and raw
linseed oil; at least pure putty should be so made. It requires S$.
pounds of whiting and 15 pounds of linseed oil, and to make it prop-
erly take bolted American Paris White and mix it with oil as stiiF
as you can, then take this soft dough and add more whiting, which can
only be incorporated by pounding the mass with, a stout club or
wooden mallet. When stiff enough so that it will not adhere to your
fingers, set the mass aside for a few days to give it what is termed
sweating, then pound again, and if still too soft add more whiting and
incorporate it by continued pounding. If the putty is wanted for quick
drying, use boiled instead of raw linseed oil, or use one pound dry
white lead to every nine pounds of whiting.

Much of the putty sold is composed of the most ordinary kind of
commercial whiting or marble dust and an admixture of linseed and
mineral oil, and lacks binding properties.

— 168 —
Marble Polish and Cement for Marble.

Melt in .a hot water bath one pound of Chinese or Japan
wax or camauba wax ; when melted, add one gallon spirits of turpen-
tine and take from the bath, stirring until cool, then add one pint of
gold size by stirring it well in. Apply to the dry marble and rub with
a soft cloth until the desired polish is obtained. The gold size may be
omitted, but the polish will not be as brilliant or as durable. To make
it wear well rub daily with a dry cloth.

To cement marble to marble, mix sifted oyster shell lime and finely
powdered gum arable with water to a fairly stout mush, which apply
in thin layer to both fractures and press firmly together, then allow to-
remain undisturbed for twenty-four hours and remove with a sharp-
knife the part of cement that has been squeezed out.

(>2 T39 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED.

— 169 —
Cleaning Paste for Show Windows.

We can recommend the following paste as an excellent
means for cleansing plate glass: Dissolve one pound of castile soap
in three pints of water by boiling over a slow fire, stirring continu-
ously until the soap is thoroughly dissolved. Allow to cool somewhat,
but while still lukewarm stir into this soft soap as much as is needed
to make a homogeneous mass of a powder, mixed in the following pro-
portions: 12 ounces prepared chalk, 9 ounces French or Vienna chalk
and 6 ounces fine tripoli. Pour the mass into moulds to set. When
using, rub onto a moistened cloth, sponge or chamois, apply to the
glass and let it become fairly dry, then rub off with soft cloth or cham-
ois skin and wipe clean afterward in the usual way.

— 170 —
Mixing Grold Bronze for Striping on Kalsomine.

Dissolve gum shellac in 4 parts by volume of grain alcohol,
then add your gold bronze, i part of the dry powder in 3 or 4
parts of the solution. Go over your stripe again when the first appli-
cation has dried and work as rapidly as possible. When your striping
is well done you can burnish it by rubbing with wash leather.

— 171 —
Will Oil Paint or Enamel Paint Stand on Whitewashed Brick Walls?

Required to paint a wall in a brewery that is washed almost daily,
with gloss paint. The wall has been white washed, the room formerly
being used as a storeroom and not subjected to moisture.

If the whitewash is of the ordinary kind, to which salt,
etc., has not been added and not extraordinary thick, it will suffice to
brush the wall down with stiff brooms or brushes, so as to take all the
loose lime off. If the limewash has had salt or glue added for a binder
and is therefore too hard to be removed by brooming, scraping will
have to be resorted to. This done in either case, a thin coat of oil
paint should be applied, which will sink in and bind whatever lime
may remain on the wall. Upon this coat, which should be fairly flat,
the joints should be puttied with a good hard drying lead and whiting
putty, and over this dry and hard, brewers white or enamel may be
applied without risk in as many coats as may be required. Whether
it will stand washing depends on the quality of the enamel or gloss
paint.

— 172 —
Best Way to Fasten Burlap on Walls or Ceilings.

Treat it pretty much in the same manner as you would muslin
or canvas. If not wide enough to go over the whole space, have
the various breadths sewed together as carpets are sewed, moisten the
fabric and begin tacking it on one end or at the top for a partition with
double rows of tinned or galvanized tacks; six ounce tacks will do.

739 PAINT QUESTIO^yS ANSWERED. 63

eight ounce are better. Stretch it out toward the edges and ends and
use double rows of tacks at ends, around door and window frames and
at bottom of partition. Do your trimming after it has been securely
fastened. In panel work on ceilings the burlap is fastened and held
down by the mouldings, but on large plain partitions it is well to tack
it here and there to keep it from sagging by its own weight.

— 173 —

.Removing Paint from Blinds and Shutters.

Required to remove paint from outside blinds that are badly alli-
gatored and cracked, having been painted twenty years or more before.

We should advise you to unhinge the blinds, take them
to some convenient placfe and burn off the old paint, which, with the
proper lamp and scraper, can be quickly accomplished, leaving a good
surface to repaint on. This is the quickest method we know of. Or if
you do not care to resort to burning, or to buy one of the many paint
removers offered, you may use a strong solution of concentrated lye
and water to soften the paint and then scrape it off. In this case you
will have to wash the blinds thoroughly, allow them to dry and then
sandpaper them, which is quite a job and much more troublesome than
the burning-off process.

— 174 —

Fire and Weather-Proof Paint.

We have not a great deal of faith in the fire resisting
properties of paint that contains oil in any form, and believe thorough
impregnation of wood the only real safeguard. However, we give a
formula as follows : One part by weight each of salt, alum, waterglass
and tungstate of soda are mixed with four parts by weight of unslaked
lime and ground in raw linseed oil to proper consistency for applica-
tion. Three coats make the wood fire-proof, and it is claimed that the
paint has stood the weather for nearly thirty years.

— 175 —

Colorless Spirit Varnish for Labels, Whitewood, etc.

Dissolve five ounces bleached shellac in one quart of 95
per cent, grain alcohol. When well dissolved, add one-half pound of
granulated animal bone black that has been heated to drive off mois-
ture that may be present, and boil all in a water bath for five minutes.
Now filter a small quantity through filter paper, and if not colorless
enough add more bone black and boil again. When test turns out
satisfactory, filter the hot varnish through silk first and through filter-
ing paper. In place of the grain alcohol methylated spirit may be
used, if the odor is not objectionable. The varnish must be applied
quickly, as it sets very rapidly.

— 176 —
Best Material for Free Hand Relief.

For interior work the following has been found to work
very nicely : One pound of plaster paris, one-quarter pound dry white

64 739 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED.

lead and two teaspoonfuls of bicarbonate of soda (baking soda) are
intimately mixed with water to a thick paste, and immediately fill the
rubber bulb and proceed to work out the design, that you have pre-
viously marked out. You can tint this material to any tint or color
desired by mixing the necessary quantity of dry color with the plaster
pans. The bicarbonate of soda is added toTceep the material from set-
ting too quick, and while it is still wet you can sprinkle brocades or
bronze powder over it.

If you desire to use color that will not stand soda you can add pul-
verized marshmallow root in place of the baking soda, say one-half
to three-quarters "of an ounce to each pound of plaster of paris.

— 177 —
Guarding Against Fires in Paint Shops.

This question is a timely one in view of tlie inflammable
nature of the material stored in the shops or storerooms, and the care-
less or rather thoughtless manner in which many shops are taken care
of. While fires, even with the utmost carefulness, cannot always be
prevented, many of them could be traced directly to the loose way in
which simple precautions are neglected. Strict regulations for the em-
ployees and strict supervision will minimize the risks. Rules should
be made for and enforced in every shop, enjoining the utmost cleanli-
ness and care for rubbish, oily or greasy waste or rags, and airtight
metal receptacles should be provided for their deposit during the work-
ing hours, while at quitting time such matter should be removed from
the building. Working clothes, such as overalls, etc., should not be
permitted to remain in the shop, unless provision be made in the shape
of metal lined, tightly closed chests or closets. Dry lampblack must
not be allowed to be stored otherwise than in covered metal packages.
Nor should oils, varnishes, liquid driers, turpentine, benzine, gasoline,
benzol or alcohol be permitted to stand about in open cans or pots. No-
open light in the shape of lanterns or lamps should be permitted to be
carried into or used in the shop. Smoking in the shop or carrying a
lighted cigar, cigarette or pipe into the shop must be prohibited at all
times. If the shop cannot be heated by any other means excepting
stoves, the stoves should be placed as far away as possible from the
place where the paints, oils and volatile thinners are stored.

If the shop cannot be lighted by electricity and light is indispensa-
ble at. times, safety lamps should be used, but turpentine, benzine, etc.,.
should never be drawn from their receptacles with the aid of an un-
protected light. Paint mixed reacjy for use and left over in pots should
be well covered, especially those in which volitile thinner or varnish
is introduced. Stoves must be as much as possible surrounded with
sheet zinc and care taken not to overheat the same.

-178-
To Finish a Parlor in White, Trimmed in Gold

We should say that with gold trimmings the white finish
should be neither a dead flat, nor should it have too high a gloss. It
should have a soft velvety finish that is produced by rubbing dovrtt

7S9 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED. 65

the final coat of varnish with water and rotten stone. The usual
method is to give three coats of white lead, flat ; each coat is smooth
sandpapered when dry. Next one coat of equal parts white lead and
zinc white, which when thoroughly hard and dry is rubbed down very
smooth. Then a coat of French zinc white in damar varnish, thinned
with turpentine only, is applied, and this dry, the same mixture, to
which is added some good pale varnish, is used as the final coat of
psiint. Then a coat of best damar or other white varnish, to which a
-trifle of zinc white in damar is added to kill the yellow cast of the var-
nish. When the work is to be gilded or bronzed, however, the zinc
white must be omitted from the varnish. After rubbing down the fin-
ishing coat of varnish with water and rotten stone, the surface should
be rubbed with sweet oil until dry, having the soft and uniform ap-
pearance of velvet.

— 179 —
Staining Redwood a Dark Green, and Filling Redwood.

As you are to match furniture that has been finished in
green, you cannot employ the usual method of using a verdigris solu-
tion in strong vinegar, but must make up a pigment oil stain. Not
knowing the exact tone of the green you wish to match, we cannot give
you a formula for the colors required to produce the stain, but would
give you the following as a guide :

Take chemically pure chrome green in oil as near the shade of the
green on the furniture as it is possible to obtain it, and if not dark
enough, add Prussian blue or drop black, or both of these. Break up
the color thoroughly with japan or liquid drier to the consistency of
thick cream, then thin with pure spirits of turpentine until it is as
liquid as a thin varnish. Strain through cheesecloth or very fine sieve,,
and test the resulting stain on a piece of redwood. Afier the stain has
been applied with the brush, it is allowed to set and then wiped out
with a piece of soft cloth, and the effect can be varied according to the
length of time allowed before wiping out. The color of the varnish
must also be taken into consideration in matching the stain, and the
stain must not be applied after the redwood has been filled. If it is-
intended to fill the redwood, it must be done after the stain has dried,,
and the best filler for the purpose in this c^se is to take one ounce of
the green that has been used in making the stain, about a tablespoonfut
of raw linseed oil and two tablespoonsful brown japan and one quart
of turpentine, mixing thoroughly and beating into this one pound of
cornstarch, and strain through a paint strainer. Apply with a brushy
as you would varnish, and let it stand fifteen or twenty minutes, and
rub off the surplus filler with excelsior or soft rag, then allow the sur-
face to remain undisturbed for at least twenty-four hours. Now give
one or two coats of white shellac varnish, which, after hardening, rub
down with flint paper and finish with as many coats of varnish as you
can afford to give. For a first-class job, two coats of shellac should be
given after staining and filling, and two or three coats of rubbing var-
nish, then it should be rubbed with pumice and water, cleaned off after
standing a day with a chamois, rubbed with water and rotten stone.

66 739 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED.

Standing again a day, washed clean as beforei then rubbed with olive
oil until dry.

To fill redwood for natural finish, use the filler as described above,
with the exception that the one ounce of green is omitted and a few
ounces of burnt sienna substituted. The filler tends to harden the
fiber of the wood, and the finish should be similar to that outlined
above.

— i8o —
Glass Embossing and Silvering on Glass.

Don't expect the formulas given will always work at sight or on the
first trial. When an experiment fails to produce the result looked for,
it is best to study over the formula and then think a while over the
matter and find out, if possible, what omission may have caused the
failure. You might have had better success if you had used formula
No. I in No. 139. Your solution may have been wrong or your glass
not clean enough. It ms^y be well for you to employ Draper's method,
as follows: Dissolve separately '500 grains Rochelle salts in 3 ounces
of distilled water, and 800 grains nitrate of silver, also in 3 ounces of
distilled water. Add silver solution to one ounce of strong ammonia,
until brown oxide of silver remains undissolved. Now add alternately
ammonia and silver solution until the latter is exhausted, when a little
brown precipitate should remain ; then filter the ammonia and nitrate
of silver solution. Just before everything is ready to proceed with the
silvering, mix the Rochelle salt solution with the silver solution and
add enough distilled water to make 22 ounces in all. The glass to be
silvered should be cleaned with dilute nitric acid or with plain collo-
dion and tissue paper. Coat a sufficiently large tin pan with equal
parts of beeswax and rosin melted and fasten strips of wood an eighth
of an inch thick around the bottom of the pan. Pour in the finished
solution and quickly put in the glass, face downward, one edge first.
Carry the pan to a window and rock the glass slowly for 25 to 30
minutes. Take out the glass and set it on its edge on blotting paper
ro dry. When thoroughly dry, lay it, face up, on a dusted table. Make
a rubber by stuffing a piece of soft buckskin loosely with cotton and
go gently over the whole surface in circular strokes. To polish the sil-
vered surface, put some very fine rouge on a piece of buckskin laid
flat on the table; impregnate the rubber with the rouge and rub the
surface with it for at least one hour, or until surface appears black
when held in opaque position. It is best to warm the solution and the
glass before beginning to silver in water heated to 100 deg. F.

Stencilling or embossing on glass is done as follows : On the flashed
side of the glass or any side of plain glass, lay a coat of black asphal-
tum varnish, mixed with dry red lead, say one ounce of the latter to
one pound of the former. When dry, the stencil or pattern plate is
laid fiat on the glass over the black, and then a preparation of soft soap
in hot water is applied with the aid of a stencil brush, well rubbed into
the edges of the stencil to make it airtight and prevent the turpentine
getting under the edges of the stencil plate and leaving ragged out-
lines. Now take another stencil brush dipped in turpentine and rub
off the black asphaltum, lift oflf the stencil and wash away the deposit

rS9 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED. 67

left by the soap and turpentine with cold water. The plate is now
ready for the etching with "fluoric acid," which is poured over the
glass and imparts sharp, clear outlines like those of a pattern or sten-
cil. When the acid has acted, rinse with clear water, and if the em-
bossing is not clear enough repeat the operation with more acid. Flu-
oric acid is prepared by pulverizing Fluor or Derbyshire spar and dis-
solving it with sulphuric acid. It must be kept in lead bottles or gutta
percha bottles with corks of similar material. Etching on stained
glass is done as follows : Use the glass that is colored on one side only.
Pounce your design or letters on the colored side, cut in with black
asphaltum varnish, to which some wax should be added in a water
bath and thinned with turpentine. When dry, put a border of bees-
wax all around the outer edge of the glass and cover all the parts to
be treated with fluoric acid. Let it remain until the colored portion
of the glass is eaten through, then pour off the acid and wash well with
clear water, remove the beeswax and the varnish, and the letters or
design will stand out clear, while the balance will be of the original
color.

— i8i —

Finishing Radiators in White with Gloss.

Use old files and wire brushes to thoroughly remove all
the old paint and loose scales, wash down with benzine and allow to
dry. Give a priming coat of flake white in japan, thinned with tur-
pentine only, and allow to dry hard. Next give a coat of French zinc
in damar varnish, also thinned with turpentine, to which is added a
little white enamel varnish, say one tablespoonful of varnish to a pint
of the thinned zinc paint to produce a faint eggshell gloss. For the
finishing coat use French zinc in damar varnish, thinned to brushing
consistency with a good pale baking varnish. If heat can be intro-
duced to bake on every coat, blistering need not be feared, but if heat
cannot be had until the job is finished, every coat must be given plenty
of time to thoroughly harden before another is applied.

— 182 —
To Remove Fly Specks from New or Filled Woodwork.

For new woodwork use two parts of ammonia and one
part spirits of turpentine to remove the specks. The ammonia will
readily clean off the spots and the turpentine will keep the ammonia
from raising the grain of the wood. For filled wood take fine sand-
paper or dry pumice stone, powdered, and rub over the surface lightly,
then dust.

— 183 —

How to Make Quick Drsring Size for Aluminiun Leaf and Gold Leaf.

A good size, on which the leaf may be laid in four hours, is made
from two gills of gold size japan and one gill of fat oil. For a twelve*
hour size, take one-half pint fat oil and a dessertspoonful of gold size
japan. For gold leaf add to the size a dash of medium chrome yellow
that has been ground in japan. For aluminum leaf the size may be

68 7S9 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED,

used clear or with a dash of flake white in japan. For good work that
is to wear well and show a good burnish we would recommend the
twelve-hour size, or, still better, fat oil only.

— 184 —
What Is Gypsiuxi?

Gypsum is not plaster of paris, though made of the same
material — ^gypsum rock. Plaster of paris is the calcined gypsum rock,
which is heated to about 300 deg. F. to drive off the water of crystal-
lization, which amounts to about 20 per cent, of its weight. Gypsum,
or terra alba, is known to chemists as the hydrated sulphate of lime,
with the formula CaS04, and when fully hydrated contains 21 per
cent, of water. It is a useful extender for paints, such as ultramarine
blue and other colors, and as a base for Venetian red, etc., and is speci-
fied by railroad chemists for freight car and bridge paints, etc. Plas-
ter of paris is not permissible as a base in paints because of its ten-
dency to set hard on contact with moisture, even when mixed with lin-
seed oil.

— 185 —

Bleaching Linseed Oil by Exposure to Sunlight.

In Terry's "Pigments, Paint and Painting," the statement is made
that linseed oil may be bleached by exposing it to sunlight ; but an ex-
periment showed that exposure to sunlight without admission of air
will not do the work and that oil bleached by air and sunlight will
turn dark again, when corked in a bottle, in spite of exposure to the
sun. It requires a certain amount of oxidation in connection with
bleaching oil by sunlight, otherwise it is merely a settling process.
Linseed oil can be bleached or refined by various methods, notably by
filtration through Fullers earth, ocher or bone black. The quickest
method, however, is the treatment with sulphuric acid and subsequent
washing by steam.

— 186 —

Cause of Paint Fading, Deadening and Sinking In.

On an old house, which had not been painted for eight years the
paint was entirely off in certain places on the exposed sides, while
on the north side and in protected places the paint was still good.
You painted over all with white lead and gold ocher and, naturally,
where the wood was bare and very dry it absorbed the oil from your
paint and left the latter practically dry and dead after a short time,
while there was no absorption on the old paint. This explains the
faded appearance in those places. That the new house with the cy-
press siding should show a like fault is more than we can comprehend,
unless your oil was really at fault. Did you use strictly pure white lead
and pure golden ocher and did you have sufficient linseed oil in your
priming? Much ocher is not a good material to use in priming:
cypress.

739 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED. Gg

— 187 —

To Remove or Kill Moss Growth on Stone or Brick Work.

Wet the surface in question well with water, to which has been
added 2 per cent, by volume* of carbolic acid. After an hour or so the
growth can be removed with a stiff brush and clear water. If some
of the growth should still adhere, repeat th^ operation.

— 188 —

The Kind of Oil Best Suited for Mixing Paint for Tin Roofs.

Unless ygu can obtain good heavy bodie'd kettle boiled lin-
seed oil, we should strongly advise you to use nothing but pure raw
linseed oil, to which add a half pint of good oil drier in winter and a
quarter pint in summer for every gallon of oil. Do not use turps, ben-
zine or gasoline for thinning if you want the roof well protected, and
avoid the use of rosin or mineral oils.

— 189 —
Mixing White Lead so as to Cover in One Coat on Sign Work.

If this refers to white lettering, the painter will be able to
get along with one coat, providing the ground is not too strong, by
using pure white lead that is ground very stiff in oil, thinning it with
turpentine only for inside signs, and equal parts of raw linseed oil and
turpentine for exposed work. The lead must be held, in either case,
about as stout as artists use it in oil color painting. If white is to be
the body of the sign one coat of white lead will not be sufficient, no
matter how heavily applied or what the ground may be.

— 190 —
To Prevent Gold Bronze from Turning Brown.

A painter finding difficulty with gold bronze which he said turned
a brown drab, asks the reason.

Just what kind of a color brown drab is we don't know ; we suspect
it is the coppery hue so prevalent in gold bronzes. You say you fol-
lowed the directions on the package. We doubt the directions were
intended for domestic use of the bronze, such as picture frames and
other work not exposed ; but for signs exposed it won't do to mix the
bronze with benzine and varnish and then apply it, as it will tarnish
eve^ry time. The way to get the best result is to take a strong size
and color it with chrome yellow. Paint the sign with this size just
as you want it to appear when finished, that is, in shape of letters, etc.
Then, when the size is nearly dry, just when the tack is perceptible
to the touch, apply the bronze by dipping into it with a rag and rub-
bing it on. Thus .the bronze is on the outside of the size. Rub it well.
Varnish will discolor pure gold leaf. Then, as a matter of course, it
will tarnish any metal bronze. To varnish over bronze, put on a coat
of isinglass, then a clear varnish.

70 739 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED.

— igi —

Heating Dipping Paints in Vats.

The question was asked whether it was advisable to run steam pipes
into dipping vats to keep the paint warm and make it run or drip more
freely.

Although we have no direct experience in that line, we
may say that the idea strikes us as an excellent one, providing the
pipes can be so placed that they will not interfere with the proper
working of the vat, and held at such a temperature that part of the
paint will not be baked. They will then act the same as a steamjacket
about an iron or copper kettle or mixer, and act as well or even better
at less expense. The only drawback to perfect success by this method
during freezing weather is that if the implements that are to be dipped
and the room in which they are to be dried after being dipped are not
of approximately the same temperature the result may be worse than
if the paint is not warmed at all, because the paint rOn coming in con-
tact with a chilled surface or being placed to dry in a chilled atmos-
phere will tend to creep or crawl. If the paint is warmed up to 80 or
90 deg. F., the temperature of the implements on immersion should
not be below 65 deg. F., and the temperature of the drying room not
less than 70 deg. F. We should certainly advise the making of a trial
on a minor scale.

— 192 —
Lime Whitewash — How to Prepare and How to Apply Properly.

The principal point in preparing lime whitewash is to have the lime
well slaked. Select good builders' lime, soak it with warm water and
allow it to fall into fine powder in the open air. Then, if wanted for
inside and so prepared that it will not rub off, make it very thin with
water and to every pail add a pint of flour, previously made into starch
or paste ; or, better still, dissolve two pounds of ordinary alum in boil-
ing water and add this solution to every two gallon pail of whitewash.
Apply the first coat very thin, so as to bind it on the wall and the ad-
dition of alum will prevent the second coat from rubbing up the first
coat, thereby making a more uniform surface.

For outdoor work, take one pound of lime and slake it as above.
Then take one-quarter pound Burgundy pitch and dissolve by gentle
heat in a pint of linseed oil; now add to the hot lime one gallon
skimmed milk, then the mixture of pitch and oil a little at a time, stir-
ring all the while. Finally add three pounds of bolted whiting. If
to stout to work evenly, add more skimmed milk.

The addition of one part of salt to three parts by weight of lime,
or thinning the unslaked lime with the brine of a mackerel or salt her-
ring barrel, will also make a whitewash with enough binder to stand
the weather.

— 193 —

Varnish to Prevent Brass from Tarnishing.

Place one ounce of pulverized gum shellac and one pint
of niythylated spirit in a bottle, which cork tightly. Keep in a warm

T39 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED. 71

place and shake once in a while. When the shellac is dissolved, pour
off the clear fluid and apply it with a camel's hair brush to the brass,
which must be well cleaned and polished, and if it is possible, heated
before the varnish is applied. This varnish can be had very clear and
transparent by filtering it through asbestos fiber.

— 194 —

Removing Spots That are Caused by Water in Ceiling or Walls.

Take unslaked white lime, dilute with alcohol, and paint the spots
over with this mixture. When dry, which ensues very quickly, as
the alcohol evaporates the lime forms an isolating layer; the ceilings
or walls may be sized and painted in any way and the spots will not
show again.

— 195 —

To Clean Stained Marble Without Destroying Its Polish.

The following from an excellent authority is highly recom-
mended. Take equal parts by weight of ox gall, pulverized soap»
and pipe clay, to which add some turpentine. Apply a thick coating
to the stained marbk, and when thoroughly dry rub it off and wash
with soft, warm water. If badly stained, a second application will be
required.

— 196 —
Mixing Asphaltum and Coal Tar.

An attempt was made to melt black asphalt in its crude or hard state
and mix it with coal tar and turps, but the asphalt settled to the bot-
tom in a very few days.

The best plan is to melt your asphaltum with a small por-
tion of linseed oil. When liquid, take from the fire to a safe place
and thin with turpentine or turps and benzine to the consistency of
thin varnish and allow to cool. Decant carefully or strain through
a fine strainer into a barrel or mixer and throw away the sediment.
To the strained asphaltum varnish add the coal tar, which should be of
the proper consistency so that no more thinning will be required after
the two are mixed. If the coal tar be too heavy, thin it first with light
coal tar oil before adding it to the asphaltum.

There may be several reasons for the trouble you refer to. Your
asphaltum may contain quite a lot of sandy matter, or your melting
is imperfect, or you may cut the life out of your mixture by thinning in
the cold way. If you have both the asphaltum varnish and the coal tar
of proper consistency before mixings there will be no settling out.

— 197 —
The Darkening of Shellac Varnish in Metal Packages.

To prevent shellac from darkening it must not be kept in
metal packages such as tin or iron. It may be kept in wood, but stone
or glass jars are best, and either of them must be very clean. You can
dissolve gum shellac in cold grain alcohol, wood alcohol or acetone,
but the former is the only medium that makes a first class shellac

72 739 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED.

varnish. Put four pounds gum shellac in a jar with one gallon 95 per
cent, grain alcohol and cork up well. Stand in a warm place and occa-
sionally shake, until the lac is dissolved, which will be in a few days.
The process may be hastened by placing the jar in warm water first
and, when well warmed up, in fairly hot water. Shellac varnish so
made and kept in glass will not darken or blacken and answer every
purpose.

— 198 —
Gilding on Store Windows in Winter.

Use the same kind of size for laying your leaf as you do
in warm weather, but see that 3''Our glass is first thoroughly rubbed
with a solution of one ounce each of nitric acid and acetic acid in one-
half pint of water, and then cleaned in the ordinary way with soft
water and whiting, and when the whiting is dry, polish with chamois
skin. When the gilding is finished and backed up in the usual manner
and the work has dried hard, go over the whole with elastic varnish,
running a little over the edge of the letters on the glass, which
will keep the frost from peeling up the gold. To test drying, take a
scrap of glass and try your size; if too heavy, the gold will appear
spotted ; when burnished with cotton, if too weak, the gold will rub off
under the same treatment.

— 199 —
Silvering on Glass.

When working out a formula do not be discouraged if the
first or seconcj attempt prove abortive, but sit down and think awhile,
and perhaps you will find that there is one point or another which you
have not thought of before and then try again. You state, for instance,
that you warmed the plate glass to the temperature of the air. This
is not sufficient, but your glass should be warmed through thoroughly;
it should be at least 105 deg. F., otherwise the solution becomes chilled
too rapidly, causing non-adhesion. You may have cleaned the glass
with ammonia and then with alcohol, and yet it may not have been fit
to receive the mercurial solution. Try again, giving the glass a first
wash with aqua fortis, rinse with soft water, dry and rub with finest
whiting and water, polish with chamois skin, then moisten with alco-
hol, dry with clean cloth, then warm as above.

— 200 —

Drier to Make Linseed Oil Paint Dry in from Three to Four Hours.

There are paint materials, such as white lead, burnt umber, etc., that
impart drying qualities to raw linseed oil : others, that are perfectly
inert, and again others that tend to retard the drying of the oil. In
order to make linseed oil paint dry, the nature of the pigment that
enters into the paint should be thoroughly understood, if it is desired
TO give it life, as well as drying qualities.

The simple introduction of a drier in the shape of a powder will not
fill the bill. In order to obtain the full benefit of drying agents, they
are usually introduced in the oil. while it is being boiled, and for this

739 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED. 73

purpose we have chiefly the lead salts and manganese salts, such as
red lead, litharge, sugar of lead and lead borate, manganese dioxide,
manganese borate, manganese sulphate and manganese oxalate.
Strong driers in pulverized form are also offered to the trade, in the
various resinates, such as resinates of lead and resinates of manganese,
and safer driers in linoleate of lead and linoleate of manganese. By
introducing a sufficient quantity of the resinates into boiling oil, such
oil can be made to dry in a few hours, but the lasting quality of the oil
will be shortened commensurate to the quantity of such drier. ,

Oil boiled with red lead or litharge will dry most thoroughly, while
if boiled with the manganese salts, the oil or the paint in which it is
used, unless spread in very thin film, is apt to dry superficially only,
causing the surface to shrivel under certain conditions.

— 201 —

Removing Old* Wall Paper Without Destroying or Blurring the

Pattern.

It was desired to remove from a room some wall paper over a cen-
tury old, that was in good condition, as it was desired to save some of
the paper without blurring the figures. Could this be done by closing
the room and generating steam by having a kettle of water boiling in
the room?

The method you yourself suggest appears to us the only
feasible one, but we cannot say whether you have any show of success,
as it depends very much upon the medium, with which this ancient
paper was attached to the wall. Was it flour paste or was it glue, and
how strong is the fiber of the paper? We would suggest that you first
make a test on a small space on a panel, that you do not care so much
about, bringing your steaming kettle fairly close, and if you succeed
in loosening the paper here, you can assume that you can do it with
the rest. We would also suggest that you also try to save the paper
by direct soaking with water.

202 —

Process Employed in Making Chipped Glass Signs.

While various processes, such as etching with fluoric and French acid
and chipping by hand have been employed, the sand blast is now very
extensively used for glass chipping and with far better success than
is had by other methods, because it limits the area of the chipping and
makes the edge of the chipped work sharp and definite in the outlines.
The sand blast process is also used for grinding, frosting, incising,
embossing and boring glass, as well as stone ornamenting, and in
frosting or ornamenting various metals. That it is the only method
for cleaning iron and steel from rust and mill scale is well known.
Sand blasts are usually operated by a current of air, produced either
by pressure of vacuum.

74 739 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED.

— 203 —

Painting Cypress Lumber for Exteriors.

Lumber dealers claim that cypress will hold paint on exposed worlc
equal to white pine, but one painter's experience shows it will not. He
uses pure white lead, pure raw linseed oil and as little drier as pos-
sible. While on white pine this paint will remain in good condition
for five or six years, on cypress the paint invariably scales in from
eighteen months to two years.

We quite agree with you, as we have had a very similar
experience in several instances. When the cypress wood is thoroughly
seasoned, instead of being kilndried, better results may be looked for
and then only when the priming is held less oily than is usually done
for white pine. The builder or owner does not care for the protests of
the painter, and if he objects too much, the other fellow, who does not
object, gets the job. Instead of losing a job on that account, it is policy
to make the best of it. See that the wood is at least fairly dry and make
a priming of pure white lead in oil, thinned with equal parts of pure
raw linseed oil and pure spirits of turpentine, adding to this as little
drier as possible, so that the priming will not dry on top only and
brush it well into the wood. The paint for the succeeding coat or
coats can then be thinned with all oil and drier, and applied stout
enough to cover. By following this method, the paint is not so apt
to become scaly. v

— 204 —
Gloss in Oil Paint to Stand Exposure to AH Weather Conditions.

Something was desired that could be added to a compound paint
mixture to make a gloss that would stand outside exposure. Common
varnish was tried, but was not satisfactory.

You do not state what the thinners in your compound paint
mixture are, and therefore you keep us guessing while we could
answer far more intelligently if you had told us whether you refer to
an all oil paint or to a paint the thinners of which are composed of oil.
turpentine and drier, or oil, benzine and drier, and whether you are
using a saponifier to thicken the paint. In no case will the addition
of ordinary varnish give you the desired result. If you want to make
an oil paint that will keep its gloss for a fair length of time on exposure
you must begin to build up to that end from the very beginning. You
will have to thin your paste paint or colors in oil with a linseed oi!
varnish ; in other words, a heavy boiled oil, kettle boiled with a min-
imum of drier onl3^

Many painters, especially when painting seashore and other exposed
properties, after thinning their paint with oil in the regular way, add,
for the finishing coat, a goodly portion of first-class spar varnish or
outside varnish, obtaining lustre of fair durability, but this would
scarcely be satisfactory to you because of the high cost.

739 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED. 75

— 205 —

To Prevent Zinc White from Becoming Yellow,

The yellowing off of zinc white on inferior work may be
traced to several causes, such as carelessness in dusting or cleaning
of walls and ceilings, preparatory to painting, insufficient ventilation
and the shutting out of light afterwards, the placing of furniture, etc.,
too close to the walls, but principally to the thinner used with zinc
white, such as dark oil, dark driers, and the use of too much turpentine
or the use of varni^ that contains a liberal portion of oil.

To prevent discoloration it is necessary to have the room well dusted
and aired and the walls, etc., well washed down with lukewarm water,
to which a little soap has been added, rinsed with clear water and
rubbed dry with rough, coarse sackcloth.

If you can afford it use French process zinc white ground in poppy-
seed oil, and thin with pure turps only for flat work, but for eggshell
gloss finish add one or two tablespoonsful of either poppy oil or
bleached linseed oil for every two pounds of zinc, and in either case a
dessertspoonful of white japan. If you use linseed oil, take it well aged
and do not use the sunbleached article. You can age and bleach your
linseed oil so that it will remain clear and pale by keeping it in open
bottles or glasses in shady, airy places.

While the zinc coats are drying the rooms must be aired in order to
allow the turpentine vapors to escape, and the more time for drying
is allowed between coats, the whiter the job will turn out finally. It
is well to suggest that furniture should not be placed against the walls
until the paint has had a fair opportunity to thoroughly harden. For
glosswork it is best to use zinc white that has been ground in damar
varnish, and thin with a trifle of turpentine and bring it to proper con-
sistency with pale damar varnish.

— 206 —

Carbolineum Avenarius an Ideal Wood Preservative.

"Carbolineum was discovered by * an officer in the Prussian
Army in 1870 in his efforts to produce a compound which would
preserve the vineyard stakes in the Rhine valley from decay. 'R. Ave-
narius, the original inventor, has since made many valuable improve-
ments and patented the same in all parts of the globe, and very favor-
able reports of its efficiency as a preservative of wood from dry or wet
rot have been made to the Imperial Government of Germany, as well
as by the United States Department of Agriculture. From these re-
ports it appears that it is adapted for the impregnation of wood sub-
jected to dry or wet, as well as where dryness and dampness alternate,
and that it is much more effective than liquid coal tar and more
economical in the long run, as one gallon will cover 25 square yards
of rough timber, and because it is a powerful disinfectant as well. The
American Architect and Building News says of the compound: "It
has for its basis the best and purest heavy coal tar oils, or dead oil, to
which are added other powerful antiseptics, including that most power-
ful of all, chlorine, which induces such chemical changes in the crys-
tallizable constituents of the dead oil as greatly to add to its efficiency

76 739 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED. \

and penetrability, making the liquid self impregnating and dispensing
with the expense of a plant and machinery and the transportation of
the lumber." It may be well to add that in cases where the timber is
kiln dried and for parts that go under ground, the carbolineum must be
applied hot in order to make it penetrate more deeply, while on the
parts that remain above ground in warm weather on air dried lumber
the cold compound may be employed.

— 307 —
What is White Ocher in Oil?

We do not know what white ocher should be, as we never
heard of such a pigment or saw it advertised in the lists issued by paint
makers as an orthodox paint. China clay, among the white pigments,
is the nearest approach to ocher, so far as its chemical constituents
come into the question. But it is well known that China clay has but
little covering power as an oil paint, and therefore it must be taken
ior granted that white ocher Is the misleading commercial name for
an inferior white paste paint, on the label of which no manufacturer of
repute will have his name appear. So far as we have learned, these
so called white ochers are mixtures of barytes, terra alba, marble dust
or whiting, with a very small portion of zinc white or lead or both, so
as to give the paste whiteness, and may be classed with the lowest
class of fake lead brands, which no sensible painters will touch. It
will not take many years for him to find out what a mistake he has
made in priming with such trash, no matter how good a paint he has
finished with, and we would advise him to leave it severely alone in
future.

208

Enameling a Brick Wall, Laid in Cement, for an Engine Room.

It is required to paint in oil color, or possibly enamel, the inside
brick walls of a recently built engine room.

As you cannot wait for the cement in the joints to lose its
possible caustic properties, it will be best to make a solution of I2 fluid
ounces oil of vitriol to one gallon of water, and with this saturate the
cement in the joints thoroughly, allowing the cement to become dry
again, when a white porous crust will form, which should be coated
with pure raw linseed oil until suction is fairly well stopped. If, how-
ever, the cement is over a month old, a solution of four ounces of bicar-
bonate of ammonia in two gallons of water may be used in place of
the dilute oil of vitriol which will prove more effectual and time saving
because in that case the wall may be primed as soon as the joints have
diied again. A trial will prove whether the joints are more absorptive
than the bricks, in which case the joints should be coated to stop exces-
sive absorption before the wall is primed. For priming we would
recommend an oily white lead paint with a moderate quantity of drier.
If enamel is wanted as a finish, the second coat should be held less
oily and the third coat nearly or quite flat. For the enamel we would
suggest French zinc in damar varnish, thinned with a pale enamel var-
nish, tinted to suit. If every coat is allowed to dry hard before the
next is applied there will be no great risk of the heat affecting the

739 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED. 77

enamel. But while the work is being done the temperature of the roomi
should not be below 70 deg. F. ; rather warmer, if possible. In select-^
ing the varnish for the enamel care should be taken to avoid the use
of one that is liable to soften under the influence of heat.

— 209 —

How to Keep Iron Nails from Rusting in Wood on Exposure.

Heat the nails to a cherry red and throw them quickly into a pot
of raw linseed oil, drain off the oil and let the nails become fairly dry
before use.

— 210 —

Baking Enamels and Colored Lacquers.

Information required about baking enamels and colored lacquers
for toys of steel, wire and cast iron, which are to be dipped and then
baked.

You can obtain sufficient heat by introducing into your
oven a set of steam coils, because you do not require more than 220
deg. F. at most, and the size of your steam coils should be in accord-
ance with the size of your oven. Exhaust steam will serve the pur-
pose, providing the size of the pipes is large enough and a small jet of
live steam is also provided for, to be used in addition in case of
necessity. Time required for baking is anywhere from four to twelve
hours, according to the drying qualities of your enamel or lacquers
imder that process. As for the enamel in white or tints, the best base-
is French zinc, ground in damar varnish, which may be tinted with
colors to suit, then thinned with spirits of turpentine, to which a good
pale baking varnish is adjded to give the required luster. For dipping,
this baking varnish must be short, so as to drip freely. For colored
lacquers anilines are employed, which are soluble in oil or turpentine,
and these, when dissolved, are added to the lacquer. To meet with
success in the preparation of these enamels and lacquers means a long
and tedious experimenting, and we should advise you to look over
the advertising pages of this magazine and correspond with the paint
and tedious experimenting, and we should advise you to correspond
with paint and varnish manufacturers who no doubt can assist you by
supplying any material you require. As to handling the articles in
dipping and conveying the same to the oven, the best method will be
gained by trial. As we do not know the shape of the articles, we can-
not advise you on that point, but would say that the paint or lacquer
must have been well dripped before the article is put into the oven,
because clots of paint cannot bake on, and would look badly even if
they did.

— 211 —

The Cause of Livering of Colors in Oil or Japan.

Our space is too limited to give in detail all the causes that lead to
this very bad feature, which makes paint not only difficult to prepare
for spreading, but in most cases utterly worthless in point of dur-
ability. It will suffice to say that the principal cause for the livering
of paste paints or colors is moisture in the pigment or in the oil, to-
gether with an overheating of the mills. Next, the presence of resin-
ous matter in the vehicle that is used with a pigment containing lead!
base.

78 739 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED.

— 312 —

A Paperhanger's Size That Will Not Sour.

The following size for walls that are to be papered is
highly recommended: One pound of white sheet glue is soaked iu
enough water to cover it over night ; then two gallons of boiling water
and one-half gallon of wood naphtha (wood alcohol) are added and the
whole material well mixed. This size will not sour under any condi-
tions and the paper that is applied over the size may be varnished. To
make the size so that it will retain a tack add a small quantity of pale
syrup. The glue should be genuine and not mixed with starch or
white clay. If the size is for walls that have been whitewashed it should
be applied warm, so as to penetrate thoroughly through the coating of
whitewash in order to bind it securely to the wall.

— 213 —

To Prevent Ceiling Paper Parting on Canvas.

The best way to cover a ceiling with muslin is to use
good strong muslin ; have it sewed together in one piece and tack it on
one side first, using six-ounce tacks ; then on one end and so on, taking
care to pull it fairly tight, until the remaining side is tacked on. The"
muslin should invariably be sized before papering, because paper
pasted on muslin so prepared will not part.

— 214 —

The Difference Between Benzine, Gasoline and Naphtha.

There is quite a difference between the products sold under the
names mentioned. Benzine, or petroleum spirit, is one of the
products obtained by the distillation of crude petroleum, by which
three products are had, namely, naphtha, kerosene and residuum. The
naphtha is treated with sulphuric acid to refine it, then washed with
caustic soda, which treatment produces gasoline and benzine.

Gasoline is a very light, water-white spirit, of very light specific
gravity, ranging from 0.680 to 0.700, weighing 5f pounds to the gallon
at a temperature of 60 deg. F. It is used as fuel for gasoline stoves
and lamps, and in chemical laboratories for extracting the oil from pig-
ments, and for other special purposes. It is sold in commerce as 72
^^&-* 75 deg., 78 deg. gasoline, and very often by paint dealers to
painters in place of benzine. While it makes a good brush cleaner, it
should not be used in paint as benzine, for the reason that it is even
more volatile and more inflammable.

Benzine is less volatile and has a higher specifi :c gravity ; 65 deg.
benzine has a specific gravity of 0.724, while 62 deg. benzine has 0.732
and 58 deg. benzine has about 0.750, but 62 deg. benzine is what is
generally used, and. weighs six pounds to the gallon at a temperature
of 60 deg. F. It is a limpid, water-white liquid, which, if well deodor-
ized, has not a disagreeable odor, and a drop placed on a sheet of white
paper should evaporate, without leaving a stain, in from two to three
minutes. In paint it is much to be preferred to turpentine, that has
been adulterated with kerosene oil, unless used in excess. In the West

7S9 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED. 79

benzine is usually known as naphtha, or naptha, which term is really a
misnomer, because naphtha is a heavy oil, whether it be derived from
petroleum or from coal tar.

Naphtha proper may be coal tar naphtha, solvent naphtha, burning
naphtha, derived from the distillation of coal tar, which yields an oil
known as dead oil, then a dark brown spirit, known as naphtha or light
oil, with a specific gravity of 0.900, or 7 J pounds per gallon, on an aver-
age, with a characteristic coal tar odor, that is anything but agreeable.
From this oil the coal tar benzols are obtained by redistillations, treat-
ments with sulphuric acid and washings with caustic soda. The vari-
ous products are sold as 50 per cent., 90 per cent, or 100 per cent, ben-
zol, and are powerful solvents for rubber, etc. These benzols will mix
readily with other solvents, and are good solvents for oils, fats, resins,
and really the only effective solvents for coal tar pitch and the resid-
uum of oil stills, and are more volatile than turpentine, without leav-
ing any residue. For use in ordinary paints it is not practical, on ac-
count of its high cost and because the ordinary benzine will serve as
well.

— 215 —

Finishing a Bathroom With Aluminum Paint.

The walls should have an eggshell gloss finish if the
bronze is to be used over all of the walls. You do not state whether
you are to cover all with aluminum or only ornament with same. At
any rate, an eggshell gloss finish will be best. As it is for inside work,
you can use either a slow drying bronzing liquid, which you can pur-
chase prepared or prepare it yourself by thinning a good coach varnish
with benzine to a consistency that will make the bronze work out
smoothly and freely from the brush. Or if you want to make a quick
job, dissolve white shellac in methylated spirit and amylacetene, equal
parts, and add a little fusel oil to make it work freely. The principal
point is to work quickly and avoid laps.

— 216 —
Luminous Paint for House Numbers.

In answer to a question on the subject, we have the following from
a very responsible source :

Numbers simply painted on a house with luminous paint do not
amount to much, because they soon collect dirt ; but if the numbers are
left white and the ground work filled in on a piece of glass, and then
backed up with luminous paper and properly put in a frame, to protect
the paper from the rain, they will remain good for an indefinite number
of years. Such frames are now on the mfarket as a regular article of
commerce, and can be had at quite reasonable prices.

— 217 —

Blistering and Scaling of Paint on New and Old Work.

In building an extension to a residence, the builder took off some old
clapboards that had been painted with four coats of paint, using them
along with the new clapboards on the extension. A painter was em-

8o 7S9 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED.

ployed by the owner to give the entire extension two coats of paint,
four weeks later the paint was found to be full of blisters, and the
owner refused to make a settlement. On the old clapboards the paint
could be taken off in large shreds clear to the bare boards.

The defect you mention can be traced only by a full
knowledge of the condition of the surface at the time when you applied
your paint. The reason why you were able to take off the paint on the
old clapboards in shreds is more readily explained than the cause for
your paint blistering on the new part of the work. On examining the
scales or shreds of paint you have sent us, we find that the original
priming coat consisted of ocher or nearly all ocher, and invariably,
when an ocher priming is applied too heavy or when such priming
is fatty, it splits and causes scaling clean to the wood. Now the old
paint may have been loose, without being discovered, when you ap-
plied your paint or the contraction in the drying of your paint may
have loosened the old film, or moisture from inside may have caused it
to loosen its hold on the wood. At any rate, it is evident that the old
paint had a very poor hold on the boards. As to your paint blistering
on the new clapboards the cause may be traced to green lumber or to
dampness in the wood, caused by rain and thought to be dry enough
to paint on, or by the drying out of the plaster striking through, espe-
cially when the room is heated to aid in drying the plaster. If you
will think awhile, you can most likely remember to which of the causes
mentioned the blistering of your paint may be ascribed. If the owner
is not satisfied with your explanation, submit it to arbitration, so long
as you are certain that it was no fault of yours.

If, however, your paint on the new woodwork has not blistered and
is intact, it is very plain that the trouble is due to the old paint on the
clapboards, and you are not in any way responsible for the failure.

— ai8 —
Filling Cracks in Plastered Walls and Preparing for Painting.

If cracks or holes in plastered walls have been filled by
the plasterer, the plaster consists generally in part, at least, of fresh
lime. In this case soak the new plaster with strong vinegar and let it
dry after giving it all the vinegar it will absorb, then go over the same
places with a size made of two parts linseed oil, one part turps and one
part japan, and when this is dry and hard, put on a thin coat of white
shellac varnish over the whole wall before painting.

When the painter is obliged to fill cracks in old walls that are to be
repainted, the safest way to proceed is as follows : Cut out the cracks
in the shape of a V and level the edges, then after cleaning out the
loose plaster or sand, mix some fine plaster of paris with thin glue size
and fill up the cut-out cracks with this material to within an eighth of
an inch of the surface and let it become dry and hard. Now paint
over the filling and the edges of the crack with a fine pointed brush
and let this dry, then level up with white lead putty, which is made by
mixing dry white lead with coach japan and as much glazier's putty in
bulk, as there is of white lead and japan. When this has dried hard
take a block of wood and sandpaper, and smooth down the filled por-
tion, sb as to bring it to a level with the remainder of the wall. This.

7S9 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED, 8i

<lone, the sandpapered portion should be given a thin coat of paint to
match closely the old paint. If the wall has not been painted before,
this coat of paint should be white. Treated in this manner, cracks will
not show through.

— 219 —

Testing the Comparative Value of Soap.

Carefully weigh a piece of the soap to be tested, cut it
into thin chips or slices, then place it into soft water to which has been
added a handful of ordinary table salt, set the pot on a slow fire until it
comes to a boil. Keep boiling until all the soap is dissolved, then set
away to cool. The soap will eventually separate from the water, is
then collected, allowed to dry and reweighed. The loss in weight rep-
resents the amjount of foreign matter present in the soap. Following
this method with various brands of soap will determine which brand
has the most value. It is self-evident that it is the one that contains
the least foreign matter.

— 220 —

To Cure Damp Walls in Basements and Cellars.

A cure was wanted for cellar walls that have become moldy from
dampness.

You do not state the cause of moisture nor the condition
of the walls, whether they are rough or smooth plastered, cemented
or in the crude. However, we can give you one of the latest methods,
which is said to be very successful as a cure for dampness and mold.
If at all possible, a portable furnace is placed in the cellar or base-
ment and a fire kept therein for at least 36 to 48 hours, while the place
is ventilated as much as possible. In the meantime 93 parts by weight
of finely powdered brick dust are intimately mixed with 7 parts by
weight of fine litharge, and this mixture made into a stout paste with
pure kettle boiled linseed oil only. This paste is allowed to stand at
least a day and then thinned with more boiled oil sufficiently to make
it applicable with a stiff brush. It will take from three to four days
to dry hard, when a second coat may be applied, if thought necessary.
The use of volatile thinners and japan driers, however, must be
avoided in this paint material, and both the brick dust and litharge
must be bone dry before they are mixed with the oils.

— 221 —

Durable Polish for Hard Wood Table Tops.

The very best polish for the purpose is cold pressed lin-
seed oil. This is applied with a soft linen cloth which is rolled to-
gether in bung shape, ahd rubbed uniformly hard and in even strokes,
until the top has assumed a mirror-like surface. If the polish has
been long neglected it may be necessary to keep on rubbing tor hours,
but it is the only sure method to obtain the effect you desire. As it is
.next to impossible at this time to obtain cold pressed linseed oil for
love or money, we would advise you to employ in its place the ordinary
hot pressed raw linseed oil, selecting some that has been well settled
and clarified by age.

82 7S9 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED.

322-^

Split Glass Signs, or Frosted Glass.

Several years ago a new industry was started in Paris,
France, that of producing hoar frost glass, which is covered with
feathery patterns resembling those naturally produced on window
panes in frosty weather. The glass is first ground either by sand
blast or the ordinary method, and then covered with varnish. This
varnish contracts strongly on drying, taking with it the particles of
glass to which it adheres, thereby producing the branching crystals
of frost work. One single coat gives a most delicate effect, while
several coats yield a bold design. A more simple method, however,
is followed in this country. The glass need not be ground in advance
and instead of using varnish, ordinary glue is employed, which, in dry-
iiigj splits off irregular patches of the glass surface in the most sur-
prising manner, giving rise to most charming frosted effects of in-
finite variety. Where "flashed" glass is used for the purpose (that is,
a colored glass, having a superficial thin layer of colored glass on one
side), the effect of the tearing loose of the colored layer in some
places and not in others enhances the beauty of the resulting frosting.

233

Touching Up or Renovating Blackboards on Plastered Walls.

By all means wash down the surface with strong vinegar
first to remove all grease and rinse with clear water, using a sponge.
When dry, touch up all the worn spots with lampblack, thinned with
turpentine and a little japan. Then give a good coat of drop black in
japan thinned with turpentine, to which a tablespoonful of rubbing
varnish for every pint of the thinned material has been added, and
when this is dry and hard, apply your liquid blackboard slating. If
you desire to make a quick liquid slating, dissolve one pound of orange
shellac, dry, in one gallon of 95 per cent, alcohol, into which stir
one-half pound finely powdered ivory black and one-half pound finest
flour of emery and mix well. When using the slating stir frequently
and apply quickly with a fine, flat brush. If too stout to work without
brush mjarks, thin with more alcohol and when not in use, cork up
tightly.

— 224 —
The Composition of Gloss Oil and Its Uses.

Gloss oil is a term largely applied in the South and West
to a mixture of ordinary rosin and benzine. Its manufacture is very
simple and it may be done in the cold way by powdering the rosin
and stirring it into the benzine (or naptha, as many are wont to call
it), until it is dissolved, or. the rosin may be melted in a kettle over a
fire, then removed to a safe distance and the benzine poured into the
kettle, under continued stirring. This rosin and benzine varnish or
gloss oil is mostly employed for thinning very cheap paints, such as.
are used for coating barrrels and other work where quick drying is
required, but durability not looked for. It could be employed for
sizing walls, but we should not advise you to use it because it is almost

739 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED. 83

too brittle and you had better not depend on its use as a wood filler,
even for very cheap work. For these purposes yotf should have a
varnish that is prepared with a fair percentage of linseed oil, even if it
should contain rosin and benzine as its other constituents.

— 225 —

Papering on Fresh Walls Over a Size of Rosin Oil and Benzine.

A new house, plastered with lime and sand mortar, had been
warmed for four or five weeks, when the painter papered several
rooms and the hall, using rosin oil and benzine size. The paper came
oS in a short time and he went over the old size with a weak solution
of glue and water. A week later the paper again came off, and the
owner applied to another painter who was at a loss how to proceed..

You have a difficult problem before you, and we do not
wonder that you will not risk undertaking the job. Rosin oil and
benzine is the worst material that could have been applied as a size,
because even after the benzine has evaporated, the oil will remain
tacky, even though apparently hard and the warm temperature of the
house will keep it so. We would advise you not to undertake the
job at this stage and give a guarantee, but do it at the risk of the
owner only. It will be an uncertain undertaking to remove the rosin
oil from the pores in the plaster, but you might try a solution of
caustic soda or concentrated lye. Sponge the walls with this, then
rinse with clear water, then let dry thoroughly, after which apply your
regular paper hangers' wall size. In using the soda solution wear
rubber gloves to protect your hands, and use a swab made from cloth
or waste tied to a broom handle, and let the solution remain long
enough to act on the rosin oil. This is all the advice we can give you
on the subject.

— 226 —

Making Cheap Mixed Paints Ready for Use.

There are many ways and means to cheapen paint, either
by extending the pigment or by employing cheaper thinners. It is not
advisable, however, to employ any but orthodox materials, such as
pure white lead, linseed oil and turpentine for priming new woodwork
in house or sign painting. It is better by far to make use of cheaper
material for finishing coats, than to believe, as many painters honestly
do, that anything is good enough for priming. This theory is on a par
with the building of a house on sand. A brittle material will not suit
for priming, because it will surely be thrown off after successive re-
paintings, if not after the first operation. See our suggestions in
Section 28 on "Cheapening of Paint Material," and in Section 86
on "Cheap Paint for Rough Work." White lead paint can be cheap-
ened as a pigment by the addition of bolted whiting or the thinners
may be cheapened by substituting benzine for turpentine, or by adding
alkaline water solution to the mixed paint. As to our opinion of the
value of benzine as a substitute for turpentine would say that if ben-
zine is used moderately and in smaller quantities comparatively, there
will be no perceptible effect on the durability of the paint, but we do

84 739 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED.

not want to put ourselves on record as advocates of benzine as a
substitute for spirits of turpentine. It is a matter of dollars and
cents, and we cannot blame the painter for using benzine wherever he
can in place of the much higher priced article. All in all, as benzine
evaporates completely in the drying of the paint, it is far less injurious
to paint than the use of adulterated turpentine or of non-drying min-
eral oils. As to employing water in oil paint we think that its use
is injurious only when the amount of water used is out of all propor-
tions to the quantity of linseed oil. A small percentage of water will
evaporate on the drying of the paint, and it will keep the paint in fair
suspension and will keep it fromi running or sagging during the ap*
plication.

— 237 —

Filling for Letters in Brass, Zinc and Copper Signs.

The cement or filling for the letters of metal signs is
made by mixing intimately equal parts of asphaltum, shellac and lamp
black. The asphaltum and shellac must be powdered, and the mixture
is applied by heating the plate and melting in the cement, smoothing
it off with a warm iron. Scrape off the surplus carefully and hold a
warm iron over the letters to glaze their surface. Black sealing wax
will also answer the purpose of filling in, and the treatment is similar.
If the signs cannot be heated, make a putty from dry lamp black, as-
phaltum varnish and brown japan and fill the spaces, pressing the
putty well in with the putty knife, then clear the edges with turpentine.
When the filling is dry, polish the whole plate.

All the ingredients given are to be dry; the asphaltum and shellac
are powdered and intimately mixed with the lampblack, and the mix-
ture is melted into the letters by heating the plate. When well filled
and cooled off, after removing surplus, the cement is smoothed with a
warm iron and the plate polished.

— 228 —

Gilding on Glass — How to Do It Properly.

It is an easy matter for us to tell others how the work
should be done, but a more difficult matter for others to do it without
a good deal of practice. However, we shall endeavor to explain to you
the method by which others do the work successfully.

Your attention is first called to the proper preparation of your size,
which may consist of a solution of gum arabic, isinglass or white sheet
glue. For the gum arabic solution dissolve one-eighth of an ounce of
gum arabic in one pint of boiling water, filter through blotting paper
or regular filtering paper, and when cold add a teaspoonful of pure
white whiskey to keep from molding, and when placed in a bottle well
corked it will keep for miany months.

A still better size, but more troublesome to prepare, is that made
from isinglass. Take a piece of isinglass the size of a nickel and dis-
solve it in a pint of boiling hot rainwater, 'which must be heated in a
perfectly clean pan to avoid grease. If any scum arises during the
boiling or dissolving process, remove it with a spoon. Filter the solu-

739 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED. 8$

tion through white blotting paper while hot and allow to cool, when
a tablespoonful of alcohol may be added to take out any traces of
grease that may still be there. This will also keep for a long time if
kept in a well corked bottle. While we consider this the best size for
glass gilding, would say that if isinglass is not handy a piece of clear
white sheet glue, about the size of a silver dime, may be taken in place
of the insinglass and treated in an exactly similar manner. The prin-
cipal point about the size is to have it free from grease and to allow it
to stand for at least twenty-four hours before using.

Next important is to see that the glass is pure, for on inferior glass
good work cannot be done. If the glass be greasy, wash it with a solu-
tion of one ounce each of nitric acid and acetic acid to one-half pint
of soft water. Allow this to remain on the surface about five minutes,
then clean the glass with soft water and whiting, and polish the side
on which you intend to work with tissue paper. Now lay your
punctured design on the opposite side from that on which you intend
to work and apply the size freely with a camel's hair brush or spalter,
and with a tip lay on the leaf as srrtoothly as possible, allowing it to
protrude over the edges of the design and permit the whole to dry,
then burnish with raw cotton. Rub briskly to obtain good luster, no
matter if some of the gold rubs off, then apply your size for the second
layer of gold, but not as plentifully as at first, and lay on the leaf as
before. When dry, burnish again and then go over the work to patch
up, wherever there is only one coat of gold, by dampening such patches
with the edge of the brush and laying on small pieces of the leaf, and
this dry, burnish lightly. If a spotless surface is desired, wash it sev-
eral times with the size. When dry, it is ready for the design, which
is now laid right side next to the gold and the outline of the letters
pounced on with a pouncing bag filled with whiting or Venetian red.
The backing up may be done with asphaltum varnish or rubbing var-
nish mixed with lamp black and thinned with turpentine, the latter
being most permanent. When the backing is perfectly dry, dampen a
small bit of cotton and rub off the surplus gold, then shade your letters
backward, laying on the darker shades first, then the lighter ones and
the background last. Before beginning to work, test your size on a
scrap of glass; if your size is too strong, the gold leaf will appear
spotted ; if too weak it will rub off too easily when burnishing.

To keep gilding on glass from early destruction by frost or repeated
scrubbings, go over the whole with a good elastic varnish.

— 329 —
Paint for Rough Cast Surfaces.

If the walls have stood for some time, say at least one
year, and first cost is no obstacle to its use, we would recommend a
pure lead and linseed oil paint, white or tinted to suit, the first coat to
be quite thin and oily, the second coat as stout as it is used for a finish
on woodwork. Should this be too expensive to suit your patron, you
might use either of the following: Take fine sand that has been
washed and dried and mix the same with a similar quantity of Port-
land cement (best grade) in water to a fairly thick consistency, then
add for a red tint enough Venetian red, for a yellow tint pale French

86 7S9 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED.

ocher, for a greenish tint terra verte, for a gray tint lamp black, for a
bluish tint ultramarine blue, and strain through an ordinary sieve to
break up any lumps that may have formed. Finally, thin the mixture
down with water to the consistency of a thin oil paint and apply cold
with large wall brushes. The wash must be kept well stirred while
being used. Should the color be too dark, add some slacked lime or
ordinary whiting, but be careful to use mineral colors only for tinting,
because of the probable causticity of cement and lime.

If it is in any way convenient for you to apply a warm paint we
would suggest the following wash, which has been tried by the writer
with excellent results: Take a fifty-gallon barrel and place therein
one-half bushel of builders' lime, fresh burnt, over which pour hot
water, say about ten gallons, and cover tightly to keep in the steam
while slaking. Let stand covered over night, then strain the liquid
through a fine sieve into another barrel and add seven pounds of
common salt, previously dissolved in hot water. In the meantime
cook three pounds of rice flour in hot water to a creamy paste and
ndd this while hot, always stirring well. Five pounds of bolted whit-
ing are also mixed with soft water to a thin paste and added to the
liquid. Finally one pound of pale glue that has been soaked in water
over night is boiled as usual in a water bath and thinned with boiling
hot water to make five gallons of liquid glue, which is put in with
the other. Stir well and if the total does not amount to thirty gallons,,
add enough hot water to make that quantity. Let the barrel stand
covered for several days more, when the wash is ready for use. The
wash must be applied fairly warm, therefore it is necessary to have the
pots from which the paint is used standing in hot water during the
operation. Two coats of this wash will stand out white on any sur-
|face, and it may be tinted with mineral colors as in the case of the
cement wash. It is the most durable and economical coating for brick
or rough cast walls that we know of, and has been in use for loa
years or more on lighthouses and other buildings in the United
States.

— 230 —
Black Ink and Water Colors for Show Cards.

The ink mentioned in recipe, Section 109, is made from the dry ma-
terial, the shellac which may be doubled, acting as the binder, the
white soap and wax "as the vehicle. When used it should be moistened
with alcohol, but only sufficient to make it flow from the pencil.

To prepare water colors for show cards, first moisten lamp black>
bronzes and all colors that have a light specific gravity with alcohol,
then mix intimately with water to which a little dextrine has been
added. The dextrine should be dissolved first. A trial will readily
give the proper proportions. The heavier pigments, such as white
lead, zinc white, chrome yellow, chrome green, vermilion, etc., do not
require treatment with alcohol. The so-called distemper colors, i. e.,
colors ground in paste form, may be mixed directly with a weak solu-
tion of dextrine in water. Liquid glue may also be employed as a
binder, but we prefer the dextrine solution, because it flows more
freely from the brush and the color mixed with it does not dry up so
rapidly on standing about.

739 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED. 87

— 231 —

Preparation for Cleaning Wall Paper.

The following has been suggested by the Pharmaceutical
Era : Mix together one pound each of rye flour and wheat flour into a
dough, which is partly baked and the crust removed. To this add by
kneading one ounce of common salt and one-half ounce of powdered
naphtalin and then one ounce of cornmeal and one-eighth ounce of
finest burnt umber. This composition is formed into a mass of proper
size to be held in the hand, and in use should always be drawn only in
one direction over the paper to be cleaned. A more simple method is
to tie up two quarts of wheat bran in a coarse flannel cloth or a bag
made of flannnel, and rub it over the paper briskly, all in one direction,
taking care to miss none of the space. Before rubbing, however, the
walls or ceiling must be carefully dusted.

Simple Test to Detect the Presence of Mineral Oil in Linseed Oil.

Take a strip of ordinary window glass and paint it on one
side with a dense black. When dry turn the painted side down and
place on the unpainted side a few drops of the suspected oil, and along-
side of this a few drops of linseed oil which you know to be pure. If
adulterated with any kind of mineral oil, with even as little as five per
cent., the bluish cast or bloom will be noticeable to such an extent as
to cast aside all doubt.

— 233 —
How to Make Varnish for Wagon Work.

This is a difficult proposition. We can give you formula
for making good varnish for wagon work, but we cannot teach you
how to make it. In the first place we doubt whether you have the
necessary apparatus to make it successfully, and in the next place, it
takes quite a little experience to make it properly. Therefore we
should advise you to buy your material from reliable manufacturers,
as in our opinion it will save you much vexation, annoyance and money
in the long run. You cannot buy your gum, driers, oil and solvents
at as low prices as the manufacturer, and you might spoil many a batch
before you would meet with success, to say nothing of the costly ap-
paratus required for the purpose, and the attendant fire risk in your
shop.

To give you an idea of the very simplest way to make a wagon var-
nish that will dry, say in twelve hours in winter and about eight
hours in summer, will say that you require two transportable kettles
which can be removed quickly from the fire, in one of which to boil
the drying oil, in the other to melt your gum. You ako need at least
one thermometer that is incased in metallic tubing and which is very
costly. Each kettle should be provided with lids, which have small
openings for the insertion of the stirring rod or paddle, and for the
introduction of material without the necessity of removing the lid. In
one of the kettles, say twenty gallons of well-settled linseed oil heated
to say 280 deg. C. (506 deg. F.), and while being kept at this tempera-

88 7S9 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED.

ture three pounds of litharge is gradually introduced under constant
agitation, until the litharge is pretty well taken up. This requires
several hours. In the meantime lOO pounds of copal (either Kauri
Gu;ii of Angora Copal) is melted in the other kettle, great care being
taken to keep from taking fire, keeping the melting portions of the
gum well under the portion already liquid. When the whole mass is '
liquid the kettle is removed from the fire and under constant agita-
tion the hot drying oil is introduced and the mixture again put on a
somewhat slower fire and allowed to simmer for a while to body up.
Now the kettle is again removed to a safe distance from, the fire and
quickly thinned, while stirring, with about seventy gallons spirits tur-
pentine. When nearly cold it should be stored in a tank in a warm
room to permit it to settle and clarify by age.

This is only one of many methods, but it will give you a fair idea
that in these days of sharp competition the varnish manufacturer does
not make such an enormous profit, after all, and that only by im-
proved apparatus and manufacturing on a large scale he is enabled to
sell varnish at present rates.

_ —234 —

Method of Finishing Furniture in a High Polish.

We assume that you have hardwood furniture in view, and
would say that the first step is to see that the work, as it comes
from the cabinet makers, is well sandpapered, for if it is not it will
have to be done by you in order to have a good surface to begin with.
In case the furniture is to be stained, this is the next operation, after
which comes the filling with a good paste filler. This dry, sandpaper
again, but always with the grain, using 00 or 000 sandpaper, after
which dust off carefully and give a coat of shellac varnish, over which
apply furniture rubbing varnish, two coats if you can afford it. To
make a very good job, three or four coats mjay be required. When
the last coat of rubbing varnish is dry and so hard that the finger nail
will not make an impression, rubbing may be begun, but not before.

The rubbing is accomplished by applying rubbing oil (crude pe-
troleum is best), to the surface, sprinkling powdered pumice O or F
on the same (if the work is horizontal), and rub with rubbing felt in
long strokes with the grain of the wood. When sufficiently rubbed
clean up the oil and pumice quickly, and be very particular about
moldings and corners. Fine sawdust that has been dampened will
serve very well to take up the oil and pumice, but to make doubly
sure the surface should be gone over again with cotton wadding.
For a first-class polish apply one coat of cabinet finish and when dry
rub down with F. F. or flour of pumice and rubbing oil, clean off very
carefully, then, with a piece of chamois skin dipped into rotten stone,
rub the surface with a rotary motion. Let the rotten stone dry on the
surface, then with the palm of the hand wipe off the rotten stone,
keeping the hand in rotary motion, and wipe the hand off on a cloth
after each stroke. We cannot recomn>end any particular brand of
varnish for the purpose.

/ 739 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED. 89

— 235 —

Painting a Locomotive.

It is impossible for us to give you an idea as to the price
you should ask for the job, as you do not state anything about the
size of the locomotive, nor of color, ornamentation and lettering de-
sired. Engines are not usually coated at present with black asphal-
tum varnish, but higher priced goods, such as black or green locomo-
tive enamels, are now very generally used, or flat color is applied, then
a coat of locomotive rubbing, which is mossed down and finished with
a high class locomotive varnish. Engine cabs are usually painted
green outside and a deep red inside. The tenders may be painted
any color specified, but engine, cab and tender always show a high
gloss and must of necessity have a hard surface, so as to make clean-
ing comparatively easy, wherefore oil paint would not be serviceable.
Each railway system have their own methods and specifications, so,
you see, we are at a loss to answer you intelligently. However, from
reports of the Master Car and Locomotive Painters' Association we
learn that the average cost of painting a locomotive is $68.68 for pas-
senger service, and $59.88 for freight service, taking the reports from
ten roads as the basis.

As to repainting the locomotive in question we do not see that it is
necessary for you to burn off the old paint from the cab and tender,
if it can be done with scrapers, or still better, with a mixture of con-
centrated lye and lime plastered on and then scraped oflf. You can
give the surface a lead coat, and then knife on your rough stuff or sur-
faces, rubbing (down with pumice brick, one coat of flat color and one
coat of color-and- varnish, on which the striping and lettering can be
done, and one coat of finishing varnish. The inside of the cab can be
washed down, a coat of color-and-varnish and one coat of varnish
over this. For the locomotive tank, enamel black or Brunswick green
enamel and one coat of locomotive finish will suffice. For front part
of locomotive, lampblack and oil answers best, and for the trucks oil
color is usually employed.

You must obtain the details in order to build up your estimate, and
you must remember that locomotives are painted at a cost of as low
as $45.00, though the surfacing is very poor and little ornamentation
is apparent on the engines of that road. The highest cost given i%
$113.53, ^^^ t'^is engine presents a mirror-like finish, and is highly
ornamented and lettered in gold.

— 236 —

Cement for Plaster Figures or Ornaments.

An attempt to cement together alabaster or plaster of paris orna-
ments with plaster of paris and water did not hold.

Your plaster of paris cement did not have enough binder
to hold. Take two parts by weight of Portland cement, one part
slaked lime, dry, and one part fine sand and mix with silicate of soda
(water glass) 33 degrees. Beat to a mushy consistency, apply to the
fractures, press together, remove the surplus cement that squeezes out,
and tie the parts together, if necessary. Will harden in less than
twenty-four hours and will not part again.

go 739 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED.

— 337 —

To Clean the Caned Seats in Chairs.

Turn over the chairs, and with sponge and very hot water
rub off the caned part. See that the cane takes up all the water
possible, then place the chairs in free air or in a well ventilated room t<^
dry, when the seats will look like new and may be coated with white
shellac varnish.

— 238 —

Best Putty for Glazing Hothouses.

The very best putty we know of for the purpose men-
tioned is to boil paint skins with linseed oil until they become so soft
that they may be put through a paint strainer and give a fine gummy
paint of fairly stout consistency. This paint is mixed with bolted
whiting and powdered litharge, ten parts of the former to one part, by
weight, of the latter, until it is of the consistency of soft putty, when
it is laid on the frame with a putty or glazier's knife and the glasis im-
bedded therein. More whiting is used to stiffen this putty for the final
application, which is effected in the same way as in ordinary glazing.
Commercial linseed and whiting putty is not durable for glazing hot-
houses, because of the action of the moisture within and that of the
sun without. The preparation named will answer where the frame-
work is iron, as well as on wood.

— 239 —

Gold Tarnishing on Smalted Sign Boards.

On two smalted board signs the gold leaf tarnished in one year ta
look like brass. The boards had three good coats ; the size was from
oil the painter had used for six or eight years, and the gold leaf came
from a first class house.

You forgot to state what color the smalts were, nor do
you mention the quality of the smalts. The firm you buy the gold leaf
from is first-class in every respect, but we have come across instances
where gold leaf has changed to the color of brass or copper in less than
a year's time. This may be caused by a smoke laden atmosphere con-
taining sulphur or from sulphur in your smalts. The copper alloy in
the gold has something to do with it, and we should advise you to wash
off the gold with weak sulphuric acid and it will look like new. Take
commercial sulphuric acid and soft water, equal parts, and use a
sponge tied to a stick to apply it.

— 240 —

Removing Cracked Paint From Exterior Surfaces.

A better method than burning off was wanted for removing paint
that had cracked so badly as to show an alligator skin, and in some
places inclined to peel and even curl. The house had been painted
with two coats of pure lead and linseed oil, but was then in bad condi-
tion, having been painted four or five times before with not less than
50 per cent, of zinc oxide in the paint.

7S9 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED. 91

You cannot make a lasting job of repainting the house in
question unless you remove all of the old paint that is loose or other-
wise clean to the wood. And vou will find it most efconomical to use
the torch and burn off the pamt, because in the hands of the skilled
man the torch will do the work in less time and with less expense than
by employing a paint remover. A good and effective paint remover is
all right where the torch cannot be used or where the surface is to be
in the natural finish again, but for large surfaces that can be readily got
at with the burner, our experience favors the latter plan of procedure.

— 241 —

How to Prepare a First-Class Floor Paint.

To make such a paint successfully, the pigments required
to produce the necessary color or tint of the paint must be considered,
also whether the paint is intended for interior work only, or for porches
as well. If for interior work only, zinc white may be used as the base
for tints, but for porch floors zinc white should be omitted, or its use
should be minimized, and white lead introduced as the base.

The white lead or zinc white and oil colors should be well ground
and of pasty consistency and thinned to liquid form with pure turpen-
tine and, as the drying characteristics of the colors may require, with
a fair portion of japan or liquid drier, and to this mixture should be
added a good, hard drying twelve-hour floor varnish to produce the
necessary gloss and give binding properties.

It is impossible to give any fixed rules as to proportions, and the
painter will have to work out his own formulas and select his mjaterials
by making his own experiments and tests.

We can only add in conclusion that by taking the strongest colors
obtainable, less pigment will be required to make the paint cover prop-
erly, and such paint will work n>ore freely and evenly under the brush,
and it will be more elastic, hence more durable, than a paint with an
excess of useless pigment. It is also self-evident that when such inert
pigments as ocher, Venetian red or zinc white are employed a greater
portion of drier is required to make the paint dry hard within the limit,
than when drying pigments such as white lead, burnt umber, etc., enter
into its composition. Under certain conditions to insure thorough dry-
ing, it may become necessary to use color, ground in japan, as, for in-
stance, when Vandyke brown is used as coloring matter.

— 242 —
Refinishing Oak Doors and Sash.

Take off doors and sash and lay them horizontally on trusses, give
them a coat of wood alcohol, which will soften the varnish still re-
maining. Now take sharp steel scrapers to remove the softened ma-
terial and repeat the operation until you get close to the wood.

Now take a solution of oxalic acid, say one-half pound oxalic acid to
one pint of water (which, however, will not dissolve all the oxalic acid)
and apply it with brush or swab, which will take out of the wood any
discoloration, and when dry, sandpaper, dust, refill and finish as you
would new work. It is not necessary to treat the wood or wash off the

92 739 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED.

oxalic acid, and though more expensive than the use of ammonia it is
a cleaner method and leaves the wood in better condition.

One part of muriatic acid to five parts of water will also remove
discoloration from light, hard woods, but in either case the workmen
should be very careful in handling the solutions, both being powerful
poisons, though oxalic acid is not so injurious to the hands as muriatic
acid. The solutions must be made in an earthen or stone vessel and
should be carefully labeled and put out of harm's way when not in
lise.

_ 243 —
Lettering on Wire Screen to Appear Solid.

If the lettering is to be done on closely woven fly screen, you re-
quire a paint that will fill the meshes solidly, which can be accom-
plished by holding your paint stout, using stiff paste colors, mixed
with drier and a good elastic, heavy bodied varnish, so that it w,ill at
once fill the meshes and dry hard and thoroughly.

— 344 —
Method for a Dead Finish in Old Ivory Tint.

First see that the . wood is sandpapered perfectly smooth
and dust carefully. Prime with pure white lead, thinned with equal
parts raw Unseed oil and turpentine, adding a little good japan. Apply
thin, so as to avoid brush marks, and when dry, sandpaper with No. o
paper. Putty up with white lead putty, which allow to dry hard.
Now apply two thin coats, at least, of pure lead, tinted with a little
raw sienna and thinned with turpentine and a trifle japan dryer only;
use a fine bristle chiseled brush and sandpaper each coat. If this does
not give a good surface, apply more of the same lead paint and sand-
paper smoothly and dust off carefully. The surface is now ready to
receive the finish, which shall consist of at least two coats of zinc,
ground in damar varnish, which should be tinted old ivory with raw
sienna and some yellow lake, both ground in japan or varnish, thinned
with turpentine and a good pale, hard-drying rubbing varnish. Rub
down in the usual way with pumice and water to a dead finish.

Whether you are required to spend more time on the job depends
upon your contract, but the foregoing will make good and serviceable
work for interiors, though not of the very highest order.

-345 —
RoughstufT for Sign Work.

There are hundreds of formulas for preparing roughstuff,
and they vary only as to the coarse material, which is mixed into white
lead, the latter being, along with rubbing varnish and japan, the essen-
tial part of every elastic roughstuff, the proportions varying as to the
time of drying. To make a 24-hour roughstuff, take one part, by
weight, of pure white lead in oil and three parts, by weight, of dry
American umber, or ground slate, and mix with two parts rubbing
varnish and one part coach japan to a thick paste, which thin with
turpentine to brushing consistency.

rS9 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED, 95

Quick roughstuff, of which two coats can be applied within 8 or
lo hours, can be made from equal parts of pure white lead in oil a«d
dry Reno filler, or American umber, made into a stiff paste, with equal
parts of quick-rubbing varnish and coach japan, thinned with turpen-
tine for application.

— 246 —
Efflorescence in Rough-Plastered Walls.

Paint peeled in large blotches from a roughcast wall of a buildings
in two years. The wall was thoroughly dry and had been on nearly
two years. The paint was first class, and well applied in two coats —
buff color, made from pure white lead and French ochre. Wherever
the paint peeled there was a saltpetre-like spotting on the plaster.

It is a difficult matter to prove that the salt-like material
which has pushed away your paint is really saltpetre, which seems to-
be the name which is, by common consent, given by painters to all the
efflorescence so frequently noted on stone or brick walls, even after
they have stood for years. We have noticed this on buildings that did
not show it during the first ten or fifteen years after erection, and then,
after every driving rainstorm, this white efflorescence became more and
more prominent When this occurs many painters are nonplused as to-
probable cause, but it is an entirely natural phenomenon, a body which
was part of the clay out of which the bricks were made and which
burning in the kiln was unable to remove. When the stones or bricks
become saturated with moisture the mineral salts are dissolved and
force themselves to the surface. As in the case of the bricks, so it is
with plaster ; the surplus mineral salts in the lime and cement are also
dissolved by moisture and forced out, and this causes the lime, cement
and brick to become harder with age. We, therefore, believe that, in
spite of your belief in the dry condition of the wall, there was moisture-
present, and no one can blame you or your paint for the trouble.

There has been so far no paint invented which will prevent walls
from giving off efflorescence in the presence of moisture.

— 247 —
Imitating Grotmd or Frosted Glass.

The trustees of a church wanted the windows renovated. The glass
had been painted seven years before, partly in imitation of stained
glass and partly with white lead in oil, turps and drier, tinted a light
blue. While the imitation of stained glass had stood well, the light
blue paint all came off, and this they wished removed. The painter
who was to do the work had heard there was an acid which could be
applied to the glass to give a perfect imitation of ground glass.

Your informant is correct. There is an acid that will eat
into glass and give it the effect of having been ground, but it will not
suit your case. You would have to take out the windows, clean them
thoroughly, coat the sash edges with wax to protect them from the
acid, and afterward remove the wax again. The acid he has reference
to is hydrofluoric acid, made by dissolving powdered fluor spar in sul-
phuric acid. This must be kept in leaden or gutta percha bottles, and
cannot be applied with a brush, but the glass is laid flat and the acid*.

94 739 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED.

poured over it, and as soon as it has taken effect, that is, as soon as the
glass is obscure, the acid is poured off and the glass rinsed with cold
water. You would have to be very careful in using the acid, as it is
very powerful, and we would suggest to you to employ any one of the
following methods :

Make a solution of gum arabic in water and dissolve in this solution
all the Rochelle salts it will take up, let it stand over night and after
the glass is well cleaned, flow on the solution, so that it will not run,
which can be done with a soft, flat varnish brush, where it is con-
venient to lay the glass flat. When dry, flow on a thin coat of damar
varnish. The solution may be tinted or colored with colors in dis-
temper.

Or use white sugar of lead, ground fine in oil, apply this same as
any oil paint ; color, if desired, and pounce, while the paint is still fresh,
with a wad of cotton batting, held between thumb and finger.

Still another method, which strikes us as the most convenient, is to
take white lead in distemper, that is, white lead ground fine in water
to a stiff paste, thin it down to a brushing consistency with a solution
or gum. arabic and common salt in soft water. This may be colored or
tinted to suit, and will adhere so well that it will eat into the glass and
last for years. If on application it shows brush marks, go over it with
a mottler or stipple it.

Should you desire to use ordinary oil paint, thin the paste with equal
parts boiled linseed oil and turpentine, in which some beeswax has
been dissolved, apply it with the brush and rub out well, then take
muslin cloth of fine grain, dampen it somewhat and place inside a wad
of cotton and with this bag pounce the paint all over, so as to show no
brush marks whatever.

— 248 —

Combed Walls — How to Mix Paint Properly for the Work.

The walls of a bath room are to be painted sky blue and combed.

It is best to use pure white lead, ground stiff in oil, thin with equal
parts raw oil and turpentine to a fairly stout batter, add your blue,
already broken up in turpentine and some paste drier, the liquid drier
being liable to make your paint too thin. If you choose, you can add
some fine bolted whiting to your paint to make it stout, but in that
case you must strain it well before use. If you use Prussian blue, omit
the whiting, because it is liable to give a greenish effect, and substitute
zinc white to body it up. Before you begin, try a little patch to see
whether your paint will give the proper thickness of film for combing
and whether it holds up after comb»:ng and does not run over the fur-
rows made by the comb. A little rubbing varnish added to the paint
will aid in drawing clear lines with the comb. Above all, try your
paint first on an out of the way space of the wall.

— 349 —

Causes for the Fading of Paint on Exterior of Foundries.

Four months after the exterior of an iron foundry was paftited one
coat, the bottle green paint used for the trimmings had faded to a lead
color. The building had been erected three years previously, built of

739 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED, 95

cypress wood and painted two coats, drab color for body and bottle
green for trimmings, supposed to be best lead and oil, but really com-
posed of white ochre and dry Prussian blue, lamp black and yellow
ochre. The second painting was done with a certain brand of sup-
posedly pure white lead, oil and drier from the same manufacturer,
also Prussian blue, ivory drop black and pure stone yellow ground in
oil for tinting, all mixed at the same time and strained.

You have neglected to state what condition the surface
was in when you undertook to renovate that building with one single
coat of paint. We have to do some tall guessing, and from your state-
ment of how the building was painted originally we conclude that the
surface was in such shape that one coat was utterly insufHcient to pro-
duce a good job of repainting, no matter of how high a grade your
lead, oil and colors were that you employed in making your paint.
The firm you mention does not corrode white lead, and that pure
white lead is most likely a so-called graded lead and may contain a
white pigment that does not hold colors well in severe exposure. How-
ever that may be, we will not discuss such point as bearing on your
case, because it is nluch more probable that what you call fading is a
sinking in of the oil into a surface which must have been in very bad
shape when you applied your paint four months ago. Most likely the
oil from your paint was absorbed by the old surface and your pigments
are left practically dry on the surface. As they are not of a character
to be readily attacked or affected by gases, we would suggest that you
wash off a small space of the apparently faded paint with a very weak
ammonia solution, and wipe dry, then apply with a soft sponge a little
boiled oil and see the effect.

— 250 —

How to Produce Frosted Mirrors in a Simple Way.

Beautiful frosted effects, of a temporary character, are often used
in public houses, barber shops, stores, etc.

These mirrors are covered with a solution of epsom salts
in stale beer, which is applied with a sponge to the mirror plate that
has been wiped clean and dry previously. On drying, the epsom salt
crystalizes, giving very handsome frosted effects, but the solution must
not be applied on humid days, when the glass is liable to be damp, for
in that case the effect will be a blurred one. When it is desirable to re-
move the coating, lukewarm water will serve the purpose without dam-
age to the luster of the mirror.

— 251 —

Rapid Fading of Pink Tints on Exposed Surfaces.

The owner of a dwelling house insisted on having a light pink for
the body. The painter used a combination of three parts white lead,
one part American zinc, raw linseed oil of best quality, and a little
good liquid drier, using American vermilion for coloring matter, but as
this made too strong a pink to suit the owner, it was toned down with
chrome yellow. While the paint was wet the color satisfied the owner,
but in drying every trace of the pink tone disappeared, leaving a dark,
creamy yellow effect in its place.

96 739 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED.

American vermilion or chrome red, as it is called in Eu-
rope, is one of the most stable pigments in that line, and it is utterly
impossible for it to fade out while the paint is being applied, no matter
how severe the exposure. In fact, with the exception of madder lakes
or one or more reds of similar permjanency we know of no pigment in
the vermilion line that would hold its color as long on exposure. We
think the term "fading" is a misapplication in this case, and that it is
rather a "bleaching out" on the part of the white bases during the dry-
ing process, the vermilion being more crystaline in structure, sinking
in, and the more amorphous white and chrome yellow floating to the
top. This seems to us the only logical way to explain the cause of the
trouble. A red of much lighter specific gravity than American ver-
milion would, no doubt, have given different results, it would hav€
"held up" better, but if fleeting in its character would have actually
faded in a- short time. A delicate pink tint will not stand well on
severe exposure, no matter how well made.

— 252 —
Spotting of Painted Walls and Ceilings.

Two parlors, dining room and reception hall, were painted in rose
tint, terra cotta and green tint. Pure white lead, boiled oil and high
grade mixing colors were used. The walls being hard finished, the
wall paper was scraped off, the walls properly patched and sand-
papered and three coats applied in the dining room and reception hall,
while the parlor was given four coats ; the first coat only being white
lead and oil, all others thinned with turpentine only to a dead flat
finish. The work .seemed to be perfect, but in two weeks all began
to show spots which grew larger and larger, until it appeared like
half-dried kalsomine.

We could recount a number of causes for the trouble you
mention, but as you have stated the case so plainly we can see no other
explanation but that you did not get your wall to a uniform suction, in
other words,^in some places the paste came off with the paper, while in
other places or spots it remained on the wall and stopped suction. The
wall being of hard finish, the suction was not marked enough to notice
it on the oil coat and two days between coats was not a long enough
time to make it apparent. We have seen walls where cracks were
filled with plaster which was not sized before repainting the walls and
yet the suction did not show for a month or more, but finally it did
very decidedly. The same applies to patched up walls, and the only
preventive is to put a good coat of glue size or shellac, varnish over
the first coat to stop suction. Most varnish manufacturers offer a
suction varnish for this purpose, but shellac varnish is best. While we
do not approve of using boiled oil in the priming coat for plastered
walls, we do not think that the trouble is due to this or the white lead
or the mixing colors employed, but entirely to the neglect of stopping
suction in the wall. No matter how many coats you apply now to the
walls in question, the same trouble will appear again, and the only
remedy is to give a coat of shellac varnish, reduced so as to flow freely,
so that it may be applied in a uniform film and without laps and apply
two more flat coats of the desired tint. Priming for finishing walls

739 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED. 97

that have not been painted before should always be white lead, well
thinned with raw linseed oil and a little drier, and well brushed in.
Following this with a coat of glue size or shellac varnish will stop
suction and save two coats of paint. The next coat should be thinned
with equal parts of boiled linseed oil and turpentine, and over this two
coats of flat paint are needed for a good flat finish. The best decorators-
of the East seldom give less than one coat of size and four coats of
paint, but mostly five or six coats.

— 253 —

Value of the Iodine and Saponification Tests for Linseed Oil*

Church, in his Chemistry of Paints and Painting, says that
the nitric acid test produces reactions in which the oil and the acid
acquire varied colors characteristic of different oils. These tests must
be applied under exactly similar conditions of temperature, agitation,
lapse of time, strength of acid, etc., and even then, unless the experi-
menter is well versed in his work, the indications obtained are some-
times perplexing and difficult to interpret.

It would take up too much of our space to describe the iodine and
saponification tests named and be useless at the same time, as they are
conclusive only when made by a skilled chemist, and therefore we will
state only the value of the tests.

The linseed oil that absorbs the most oxygen is the best oil, and to
determine this characteristic the iodine test is employed. As linseed oil.
combines very readily with iodine, it is determined how much of it willi
combine with the oil. As the average amount of iodine taken up by
linseed oil is 156 per cent, of its weight, and as the non-drying oils do*
not take up over 8 to 20 per cent., the value of the test will be readily
understood. The higher the iodine numbers of an oil, the greater its-
power of absorbing oxygen, hence the greater its drying properties.

The saponification test is valuable in determining the presence of
rosin or mineral oils, because these do not saponify. A certain quan-
tity of the suspected oil is placed in a suitable vessel with some water
and a little alcohol, then caustic soda is added and the mass boiled,
stirring at intervals. The linseed oil becomes saponified, while rosin or
mineral oil are not acted upon.

— 354 —

To Remove White Stains From Varnished Table Tops.

Wanted a method for removing the white stains made by whisky
or wine from table tops without injury to the varnish.

We have not tried it ourselves, but the steward of a large
clubhouse told us a short time since of a simple method, which ac-
complishes the purpose with little trouble and expense. He takes
ordinary sal soda, powders it very fine in the dry state, and sprinkles
this powder over the stains, allows it to remain a few minutes, then
takes a cloth saturated with kerosene and rubs first the stained spots
and finally the whole table top, following with a dry cloth to give pol-
ish. We have seen the tables thus treated and believe the method'
worth trying.

98 739 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED.

— ass-
Removing Rust and Grease Spots From Marble.

Rust spots on marble are usually produced when articles
of iron are laid upon the wet marble or allowed to rest upon
marble in humid atmosphere. These spots penetrate rather deeply, as
marble is very porous, and can be removed only by rubbing down the
marble deep enough to obliterate the spots and then repolish the sur-
face. As even the weakest acids will destroy marble, such radical
treatment cannot be thought of, or oxalic acid would be the proper
remedy. Grease spots from paint, oil or from touching with dirty
hands, can be removed by applying to the surface a stout batter made
from equal parts of slaked lime and white pipe clay mixed with water
or calcined magnesia and white pipe clay will also serve the purpose.
This batter is applied in a thick layer all over the surface and allowed
to remain for twp days, during which time it must be frequently
moistened with water and only allowed to dry after the two days are
over, when it is removed by wiping it off with a soft cloth. Then the
surface is polished with a piece of soft leather and finest bolted whit-
ing. Artificial marble, however, cannot be treated in this way, as this
article will not stand it.

— 2s6 —

Cement Made from Cheese and Lime..

We have no experience in the use of casein for cement,
but we know that in paints it is a good substitute for glue. For your
purpose, i. e., for cementing fractured articles of metal, stone, porcelain
or glass we know of a simple preparation in which cheese also takes
a most important part. Take ten parts by weight of fresh cottage
cheese, not too dry, and two or three parts of freshly slaked*lime. Mix
well and use immediately. It cannot be prepared ahead, as the mix-
ture sets as quickly as plaster of paris.
#

_2S7 —

How to Mix Graining Colors to Work and Blend Well.

If you purchase graining color in oil, you will adhere to
the directions given by the manufacturer in thinning the same. But if
you use colors in oil, put up for general trade, you will require equal
parts boiled oil and turpentine for thinning, and then add about two
tablespoonsful of a good japan to each pint of the thinned color. To
make your color flow and blend well add a little soap or whiting or
both.

— 2s8 —

Warm Colors as Against Cold Colors, or Light and Dark Colors or

Shades.

As you, no doubt, know white and black are not colors,
the first representing light and the other all absence thereof. When
the two are mixed, a gray is produced, representing in its various

739 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED. 99

depths the stage from light to darkness or vice versa. Whenever black
predominates, the color is cool or cold ; if white is in large proportion,
the tint may be said to be warm in tone, or in solid colors, where yellow
or red predominate, the color is warm or hot. But when a color is dull,
and impresses the eye like the passing of a funeral cortege, as it were,
then the color is termed somber, because a color can be cool or cold and
yet be pleasing to the eye, if in harmony with other surroundings. Dull
means that a color is devoid of life, lacking richness of tone. Old is a
term applied to certain colors made in imitation of articles or things
that have changed with age or faded, as, for instance, old rose, old
ivory, old mahogany, in contradistinction to rose, ivory or mahogany.
In modern paint nomenclature names are borrowed from perfumes,
from the temples of fashion, and there is such a variety of these as to
set an old-fashioned painter on the verge of losing his reason. Ashes of
roses, elephant's breath, etc., are the names of tints given on sample
cards. We wouldn't know how to compound a tint that looked like the
breath of an elephant, no matter how hard we tried, nor do we know
what "cafe au lait" means, or what Murray looked like or Pompadour,
either. Light, medium and dark are the distinguishing terms of three
hues of one and the same color, and such color need not be somber,
because it is dark or deep, nor need this color be hot or warm, because
the hue or shade is light.

— 359 —

To Remove Weather Stain on Milwaukee Brick.

Make a strong solution of rock potash in boiling hot water
and apply with a sponge to the stains. If this does not remove the
stains, there is no remedy, excepting to heat the bricks with a gasoline
burner and then coat them with paraffin, a rather costly undertaking
and by no means a certain remedy, either. If the treatment with muri-
atic acid solution did not do any good, at least temporary, the trouble
is in the composition of the bricks.

— 260 —

White Lead and Oil Paint Blackening, Where Not Exposed to the

Direct 'Sunlight.

A house located on a hill, with no shrubbery within twenty feet, was
painted white with good white lead and linseed oil, but turned black
on the sides not fully exposed to the sun.

We think the case is not exactly one of blackening, but
that the oil has darkened and the paint had no opportunity to bleach
out, because of a lack of warmth and light. It may be a case of so*
called mildew, or fungus growth, and the best thing to do, would be to
try a space, rubbing it with a sponge saturated with turpentine, to see
if the whiteness cannot to a certain extent be restored. If not, the best
thing to do is, provided the paint is fairly hard, to give it a coat of lead
and zinc, in the proportion of 2-3 lead and 1-3 zinc white.

100 739 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED,

— 261 —

Painting Machinery to Stand Heat and Ammonia Vapors.

First fill all your machinery parts requiring painting, with
iron filler or surfacer, that you can obtain from any reliable paint man-
ufacturer, as per directions on label of package. Then apply one or
more coats of the color in japan, that you fancy for the purpose, thin-
ning the paste color with turpentine, to which add some varnish for
binder. For finish, use a good, fairly-quick drying baking varnish.
Should you desire no particular color, we would advise you to use two
coats of a good black baking japan over the filler and surfacer.

— 262 —

White Lead in Oil and Dry Lampblack Chalking.

A house was painted a medium shade of gray, made from pure white
lead in oil and dry lamp black thinned with linseed oil. In four months
the house had turned white in spots and was chalking as freely as
though it had been painted four or five years.

To be frank, we are unable to tell the exact cause of chalk-
ing, but will say that it is a bad error to make a paint of white lead in
oil and use dry lampblack for tinting the same. You cannot make an
intimate mixture in that way, no matter how carefully you try to do it
There are several possibilities, viz. : The dry lampblack is enveloped
in the lead in oil, and becomes lumpy, and though not noticeable at
first, will play just the trick mentioned after being exposed. The sur-
face on which the paint was applied may have been much more dry and
porous in certain spots than in others, causing a variation in the ap-
pearance of the paint in different places. The premature chalking of
the paint may be due to a very dry surface, which absorbed the oil from
the paint, leaving it practically dry and without binder. Tiy this by
applying a good coat of raw oil on the spots, where it has turned white,
and where it apparently has chalked most, and note the result. Three
parts of good kettle-boiled linseed oil and one part of turpentine make
an excellent paint renovator.

— 263 —
Groimdwork for Bronzing Articles of Wood.

Prepare first a thin glue size by soaking good animal glue over
night in cold water and melting it next morning in the usual water
bath. Strain it, before using, through old linen or cheesecloth into a
clean vessel. Sandpaper smooth and dust the articles, then apply with
a soft-bristle brush two or three coats of the size, allowing sufficient
time for each coat to harden before applying the next. Now, a ground
coat made by thoroughly mixing finely-bolted gilders' whiting and glue
size is applied, and when this has become hard it is rubbed to a smooth,
even surface with selected fine pumice, and then given one coat of thin
copal varnish. When this is nearly but not quite dry, the bronze pow-
der is applied with a suitable brush or wad of cotton, and when dry the
surplus bronze is removed with the same tool. If collected on clean
paper, the dusted-off bronze powder may be used again.

739 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED. loi

— 264 —

Simple Method to Fasten Leather or Oilcloth to Table or Desk Tops.

You may use the same paste for leather as you do for oil-
cloth or other goods, but the leather must first be moistened before the
paste is applied. We would advise you to prepare your paste as fol-
lows : Mix two and one-quarter pounds of good wheat flour with two
tablespoonsful of pulverized gum arable or powdered rosin and two
tablespoonsful of pulverized alum in a clean dish with water enough to
make a uniformly thick batter ; set it over a slow fire and stir continu-
ously until the paste is uniform and free from lumps. When the mass
has become so stout that the wooden spoon or stick will stand in its
upright, it is taken from the fire and placed in another dish and covered
so that no skin will form on top. When cold, the table top, desk top,
etc., is covered with a thin coat of the paste, the cloth, etc., carefully
laid on and smoothed from the center towards the edges with a rolling
pin. The trimming of edges is accom-plished when the paste has dried.
To smooth out the leather after pasting, a woolen cloth is of the best
service.

— 265 — .

White Gloss Finish in Bath Room Turning Red.

A bathroom was painted with Tuscan red and varnished. Seven
years later it was repainted in white — ^two coats of lead and two coats
of zinc in damar varnish. Twenty months later the door of the bath
room began to turn red, dnd four months afterward it looked as if it
had been given a thin coat of cherry stain. The rest of the woodwork
tathe room had not changed, except in a few places where it had
spotted red. It is difficult to theorize when details are so
meager, for it is not stated what was done to the old sur-
face before it was repainted in white. Was there an attempt made to
remove the old varnish with a caustic or alkali, or was the varnished
surface simply sandpapered? In the first case, the alkali may not have
been thoroughly removed or neutralized, and therefore acted slowly on
the remaining coloripg matter of the Tuscan red, at the same time
softening and thereby coloring the white lead coats underneath the zinc
and varnish. In the second case, if the varnish over the Tuscan red
was removed by sandpapering, the latter being unprotected and prob-
ably powdery, may 'have given up its coloring matter, or, in other
words, bled into the white lead, unnoticed at that time, but later on
showing up in greater strength. That it shows more prominently on
the door may be due to strong light, as for instance, the sun striking the
door. Or it is just possible that the discoloration was caused by the
fumes of a disinfectant used in the bath room.

— 266 —

Spotting and Discoloring of Paint on Plastered Walls.

A painter was called on to finish some walls plastered with agalite
cement, finished rough. He first sized with good white glue; then
applied first coat of oil color, two parts oil to one of turps; second
coat lead tinted a medium shade of green, with chrome yellow and

102 739 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED.

Prussian blue, thinned with turps and enough damar varnish to dry
flat. Although it was a good flat finish and a beautiful job, in less
than two weeks yellow spots appeared. These were touched up with
glue size, later with shellac and then with varnish, but the discolora-
tion returned. When the surface where these spots occur is scraped,
the piaster appears to be soft. These spots only occurred on the
parts of the wall painted with this green tint ; the yellow, tan, blue and
gray tints not being affected. We always caution against the paint-
ing of hot walls, whether they be of ordinary plaster or cement
of any kind, because of the risk attached to such jobs; but, of course,
the painter is often called upon to do the work and cannot well refuse,
because he is not in business for pastime. There are, however, in such
cases, simple precautions that, when judiciously employed, will lessen
the risk of early disintegration. Cement plaster is more or less alka-
line, and the salts are sure to bloom out, first discoloring and finally
throwing off the paint in spots. That such discoloration or spots have
not appeared on the other tints is no criterion that the fault is not in
the cement, as there may be two factors to have prevented it on the
walls covered by these tints ; first, the cement may have been less alka-
line, or less of it may have been used, and, second, the colors used in
those tints are not affected by alkaline salts, as in Prussian blue. The
blooming out of the alkaline salts in cement mortar or plaster will
occur in spots, and this action may be hastened by moisture, and, as
Prussian blue, is readily decomposed, even by weak alkalies, you will
read^ily see what caused the trouble. The logical conclusion is that
under the spots mentioned a blooming out of the alkaline salts has
taken place, eating through the glue size and paint and destroying the
color of the Prusian blue in the tint, leaving buff or yellow spots. If
the wall had been first coated with raw oil or thin oil paint and then
glue sized, it would, no doubt, have delayed the perishing, but in time
it would have made its appearance anyway. Ultramarine blues or cop-
per blues are not affected by alkalies, neither are ultramarine greens
or copper greens. But it must not be supposed that the use of Prussian
blue in that tint had anything to do with the disintegration of the paint,
for this should have occurred all the same, though it would not have
been noted in so short a space of time if Prussian blue had not been a
constituent of that tint. We would advise you to see whether the spots
have extended in area : and if not, to scrape all of the affected surface
clean down to the plaster, cutting out as much of it as appears to be
necessary to keep it from spreading, and filling up again with plaster
of paris, which, when dry, coat up with white lead thinned with japan
varnish and turps to stop suction, then with the tint to match the other
parts of walls, and finally give a coat of lead tinted with ultramarine
blue and zinc yellow, which will, at least, not show any discoloration,
because unaffected by alkalies. Or, if you can by the above means
arrest further disintegration of the paint from underneath, it may be
safe enough to use the same tint that you have used before.

-267-
Cement for Broken Plaster Casts.

Into a wide-mouthed bottle or glass jar place some small
pieces of celluloid, pour sufficient sulphuric ether over these, and cork

739 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED. 103

tightly. Shake the bottle or jar frequently until the celluloid is dis-
solved, let it rest awhile, then decant the clear liquid into another bottle
and use the gummy portion in the bottom of the original bottle,or jaf
as a cement, which will dry rapidly and is insoluble in either hot or
cold water.

— 268 —

The Proper Name for Barytes in Commerce.

Barytes is the trade or commercial name for sulphate of
barium, otherwise barium sulphate, which are the chemical terms for
the mineral known as heavy spar, after it has been bleached, washed
and ground into a fine powder after drying. Blanc fixe is artificial
barytes, very ni(uch finer in texture and more opaque than the ordinary
kind. It is also known as permanent white, baryta white, etc., and is
largely employed to cheapen white paints, as well as colors, and is the
base of nearly all conimercial chrome greens. As to its use on a new
plastered wall, we cannot see the advantage thereof, unless you desire
to mix it with white lead or some other pigment of body, when the
barytes will act as a sort of filler, as well as a cheapener of your ma-
terial. It being entirely inert and unaffected by alkalies, we cai\not see
any objection to its use, any harm that may come to the paint from a
new hot wall would be through the oil being aflfected, or to color, that
is not alkali proof.

— 269 —

Best Material and Method for Painting Brickwork in Flat Finish.

The best way to paint a new brick wall in red is to use a
good Venetian red in oil, thinned with pure raw linseed oil and a little
liquid drier only. Have this priming thin and flow it on freely and
brush it into the brick well. Give plenty of time for drying, then putty
up. For second coat use at least 25 per cent, pure white lead with your
Venetian red and thin it with three parts raw linseed oil and one part
turps, adding the necessary drier. Have your paint for this coat of
good body and rub it out well and even.

For the third or finishing coat use a fine, stiff ground Venetian red of
the proper shade, and if necessary for light red brick, add some French
ocher to obtain desired shade ; thin this with plenty of brown japan and
turpentine to a thin wash and apply quickly, avoiding laps. If it does
not flat immediately, it will do so in a very short time. Should it dry
too flat or lack binder, add a little boiled oil. The best plan, however,
is to purchase the flat brick red offered by paint manufacturers, and
thin and apply as directed by them. If the brick front is to be lined
in white, use white lead thinned with turps; for black use lampblack in
oil, thinned with japan and turps. When you undertake to paint brick-
work always see to it first that the brick is dry. If you paint immedi-
ately after heavy or driving rains or where there are leaky roofs or
cornices, from which the bricks become damp, you run a heavy risk, as
your paint will surely scale sooner or later. If you find the wall is not
in proper condition for painting, call the owner's attention to it, and if
he persists in having the job done without first remedying the defects,
do it at his risk only.

104 729 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED,

The best size for new common brick that is to be oainted is an oil
priming, as noted above. The pigment to be used in this priming may
ie white lead, yellow ocher, Venetian red, mineral brown or any other
mineral paint that may be suitable or allow succeeding coats to cover
well. No other size or material is suitable for first coating exposed
brickwork, new or old. As to a size for new plastered walls,
we do not approve of a size directly on the plaster, but recom-
mend a thin wash of white lead, thinned with pure raw lin-
seed oil and a little turpentine to make it penetrate well into the
wall. Unless the wall is very hot this will neutralize whatever caus-
ticity there may be in the plaster, and when the priming is dry a coat
of glue size may be given, which will save several coats of paint. When
a new wall is still very hot, that is, when the lime in the plaster has not
had an opportunity to become neutralized, it is best to give a wash
of vinegar before priming.

— 270 —
Pigments and Medium for Water Color Painting.

As to the history of water color painting it is said that the
ancient Egyptians used this method in their wall paintings. They
covered the walls with stucco, traced the outlines in deep red, used a
ground of white and colored the various parts. The technics of the
wall paintings in the catacombs point to a similar method. The term
''aquarelle" was applied to transparent water color paintings, while
"gouache" indicated the opposite or opaque painting in water colors.
This has changed during the last half century, so that both aquarelle
and gouache are employed together. The pigments used in water colors
are of both vegetable and mineral origin ,the latter being more perma-
nent. The medium consists of Senegal gum or gum arable dissolved in
water, or of a mixture of equal parts of these, and the same quantity of
white rock candy dissolved in cold water. But the "moist" colors in
tubes have come into use and are both safe, economical and save the
artist quite a good deal of trouble, as he does not now require slab and
muller. The principal pigments for water color painting are yellow
ocher, raw and burnt sienna, burnt ocher, Indian red. Van Dyke brown,
indigo, Indian yellow, vermilion, orange mineral, carmine, ultramarine,
emerald green, stil de grain, lampblack, cobalt blue, red oxide of iron,
Chinese (zinc) white, and for the lights the more opaque Cremnitz
white.

In addition to the above we might mention aureolin or cobalt yel-
low, a transparent color, excellent for landscape painting, but not very
stable in moist air, cadmium yellow, which is of good body and washes
well, and is very useful in forming tints for clouds and sunset scenes.
Orpiment or King's yellow cannot be used with white lead or chrome
j'ellow, because it tends to blacken in such combination, and Naples
yellow, a pigment of great opacity, and very useful in flesh tints, will
decompose in the presence of other metallic oxides, but can be replaced
by a mixture of cadmium yellow and Chinese white. For glazing pur-
poses gamboge is used in the line of yellows. The madder lakes, red,
rose and pink, are very permanent and brilliant and form a valuable
addition to the line of reds. In the line of greens, oxide of chromium

739 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED. 105

green, viridian and terra verte should be mentioned as very staple and
useful. French blue replaces the native ultramarine, which is too ex-
pensive and too easily destroyed. Cerulean blue is very permanent,
when well prepared. Prussian blue is changeable in the presence of
alkalies, which tend to turn it brown, and its use should be avoided,
unless on surfaces, where alkalies are not evident. Antwerp blue is
more unstable in water color than Prussian blue. Vine black or blue
black is preferable to lampblack, where intensity is not required, be-
cause not so sooty. Purple madder or purple lake is useful for produc-
ing warm shadows.

Brown madder, burnt umber and raw umber form good additions in
the line of brown pigments. As to gray pigments, ultramarine ash is
furnished as a moist color and assists in producing good atmospheric
effects. Neutral tint is a gray compounded of blue, red and yellow, and
cannot be relied upoi) for permanence. "Aquarelle" painting is usually
done on paper, which must not be too coarse in texture, nor too heavy,
but also on parchment, silk satin or wood, without first preparing a
ground.

— 271 —
How to Prepare and Apply Luminous Paint.

To the best of our knowledge, chemistry knows of four
sulphides only that have the faculty of being phosphorescent in the
dark, when they have been exposed to daylight for a few minutes.
They are the sulphides of calcium, strontium, barium and zinc; in
other words, combinations of these elements or metals and sulphur.
Sulphide of zinc, made in the usual way, will not phosphoresce ; to do
this, it has to undergo a special process, that of being distilled in
vacuum.

Sulphide of barium phosphoresces orange, but only for a few minutes
after exposure to light; and is therefore of less use than the sulphides of
strontium and zinc, which give a greenish light, that, however, extin-
guishes in from one to two hours. Then there remains only one ma-
terial of any value as a luminous body: the sulphide of calcium, which,
in its pure state, gives a yellow light, but can, by proper treatment —
that is, by heating to red heat and the addition of small quantities of
salt of bismuth — be made into a body that will give a violet light for
at least twenty-four hours after each exposure.

For interior use the paint is applied on paper, and two coats are gen-
erally sufficient. It is prepared as follows : One pound of clear white
gelatine or transparent white glue is dissolved in boiling water, say
five pints, and into this is stirred three pounds of sulphide of calcium
and one ounce of glycerin. During application the paint must be kept
warm and constantly stirred.

For exterior use the sulphide of calcium should be mixed with clear
damar varnish in the proportion of one pound pigment to two pounds
varnish, applied in two coats, which, when dry, must be coated with
clear damar varnish.

Phosphorus will not answer for luminous paint, and you had best
ask your nearest druggist to procure for you sulphide of calcium in fine
powder, and caution him that it must be in good condition or you will

io6 7ip PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED.

not be able to use it. If your druggist has the material on hand it will
be best to try some of it in a sm^ll way before you go to a lot of ex-
pense with material that may be imperfect.

— 272 —

Value of Carbon Black and Mineral Black.

A sample submitted, although containing a certain percentage of
carbon, does not come within the strict sense of the term carbon black.
The proper name for it among paint men is mineral black, because,,
aside from carbon, it contains slates in very large proportion. It is a
fine specimen of the same paint material that is mined in the neighbor-
hood of Muncy, Pa., and is sold under such names as Keystone black
filler, Muncy black filler, iron filler, etc. This sample is slightly more
black than those quoted, which have quite a brownish tone, especially
in -the lower grades. They are quite useful in the preparation of iron
fillers, but do not command a high market price. We find that they are
quoted in carload lots, packed in good barrels, at anywhere from nine
to twelve dollars per ton, f. o. b. works. Carbon black, as it is under-
stood by the paint trade, is gas black, produced by the combustion of
natural gas. It is free from grit and is the purest form of carbon that
can be obtained, and is sold at anywhere from seven cents to twenty
cents per pound, according to quality. The better grades are much
stronger than the very best calcined lampblacks, but do not produce
tints as clean. However, the hue of carbon black is much blacker than
that of lampblack or of mineral black, and it is from ten to fifteen times
as strong as the latter.

— 273 —

English, American and Imitation Vermilion.

English, Chinese and French are of one and the same
composition and come under the head of quicksilver vermilion, no
matter where made. The quicksilver vermilion made in the United
States is known under the name of English, and when sold in bulk it is
usually branded quicksilver vermilion. In Europe it is simply known
as vermilion or cinnabar red, white the aniline substitutes are known
as vermilionettes. Quicksilver vermilion, no matter what may be the
process, wet or dry, consists of 200 parts by weight of mercury or
quicksilver, and 32 parts by weight of sulphur, producing when com-
bined sulphide of mercury. The Chinese vermilion is generally accept-
ed as the finest grade of quicksilver vermilion. It is said that some
quicksilver vermilion is still made from cinnabar, the natural sulphide
of mercury, but as the color of this product is not as good as that of
the artificially prepared one and but little of the material mined, there
cannot be much of a demand for it.

Under the term American vermilion a red pigment is generally un-
derstood, which is known in Europe simply as chrome red, or scarlet
red chromate, and sold under such names as Persian scarlet, Imperial
scarlet, Derby red, Chinese scarlet, Victoria red, etc. This pigment is
known to chemists and color makers as basic chromate of lead, and is
very crystalline in structure, and cannot be ground fine in oil or water
without destroying its brilliancy. For this reason some manufacturers

739 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED. 107

tone it up with aniline or other coal tar products, but this only makes it
fade or change more rapidly on exposure. By imitation vermilion,
that is often called American vermilion, we understand a pigment made
as a substitute for English or quicksilver vermilion, consisting gener-
ally of orange mineral or red lead and eosin or some other red dye stuff
of coal tar origin. Under this head come also the red aniline color
products, that have a mineral base, such as blanc fixe, barytes, whiting,
clay or gypsum, or any of these in addition to orange mineral or red .
lead.

— 274 —

Best Varnish for Hard Maple Floors.

Give them three coats of white shellac varnish. If grain
alcohol shellac is too high in price to let you out whole, try wood alco-
hol white shellac.

— ays-
Method of Mixing Dry Lampblack Without Grinding for Tinting

Purposes.

Purchase only well calcined lampblack, that is free from
greasy matter and wet it up first with turpentine, beating it into a stiff
paste, then gradually add your linseel oil and driers under constant
stirring. Should it still be lumpy, run through a fine paint strainer
and it will not make your tint streaky.

— 276 —

Stopping the Suction in Plastered Walls.

Where glue size will not stop the suction in walls or ceil-
ings, a varnish size is the best remedy. Take good hard oil finish or
copal varnish and thin it down with an equal measure of turpentine,
or if this be too heavy, use two measures of turps to one of varnish.
The condition of the surface must guide you in preparing the size.
It must be so thin that it will dry flat, or very nearly flat. You must
also see that the size is dry and hard before applying the paint, other-
wise it may crawl or crack.

— 277 —

Paint for Hot Water Pipes and Steam Radiators.

Most every paint and varnish manufacturer makes a paint
suitable for the purpose named, and we would advise you to take ad-
vantage of their experience, instead of wasting time and money on
experiments. We shall, however, give you all the points we can on the
subject. In the first place you must see that the surface is free from
scale, rust and grease, and it is best to paint the pipes and radiators
while warm, so that the paint 'may bake on, because when applied
while cold and the paint is allowed to dry and the hot water or steam
turned on suddenly, the paint is liable to blister or scale off. Nor must
the heat be so great that it will boil the paint during the drying and
baking process. Select such colors only as will not be affected by heat

io8 739 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED.

to any extent, have them ground fine in japan or varnish, thin with
turpentine to the consistency of varnish and add a good baking varnish
sufficient to produce a glossy paint of good working consistency.
Where white is required, do not use white lead, but zinc white only.
For black use ivory black, and for tints use also zinc white as the base.
Yellow ocher, sienna raw and burnt, burnt umber, Venetian red, ultra-
marine blue and zinc yellow are the only pigments that will not change
color appreciably when used on heated surfaces. For bronzing, select
•only the very best and finest grades, because all the ordinary bronzes
darken rapidly on heated surfaces. Mix japan gold size and pale bak-
ing varnish in equal parts and thin with three times as much turpentine
and add sufficient bronze powder to work well and apply. If the luster
is not good enough apply a coat of the liquid over the paint, and while
still tacky brush on the dry bronze and polish with a woolen, cloth.
Paint dealers usually carry a stock of radiator and other enamels,
bronzes and baking japans or baking varnishes.

— 278 —

Simple Test for Purity of Turpentine.

Drop a small quantity on a piece of white paper, expose it
to the air and if the turpentine is pure no traces will be left. If oil
or other foreign matter is present, the paper will be greasy or soiled.
This test can be applied by any one and requires no skill.

— 279 —

Hanging Heavy Embossed or Pressed Wall Paper.

We will begin by giving you a few practical hints. In hanging
paper, where the room has been occupied for a time, it is essential that
the room be cleaned, the flbor washed, the ceiling and walls well
brushed down, and, if there are any flyspecks visible, washed down.
When beginning work the paper hanger should have handy a piece of
pumice stone, a basin of clean water, a clean sponge and towel, and use
the same when and wherever needed. It is best to use a round brush
for the paste, because easier handled than a flat one, and cleaner, also,
as it can be turned in the hand, .thus preventing the paste from soiling
the printed side of the paper.

It is not so very difficult to hang pressed or heavy embossed wall
papers, but greater care in handling is required and more time must
be necessarily taken than is the case with ordinary goods. In the first
place, it is necessary that the walls should be lined with brown paper,
so as to give a more absorbtive surface to the paste on the embossed
paper, so that the raised or pressed figures will not be unduly moist-
ened. Embossed paper will not stick well to a hard finished or plas-
tered wall without this lining paper. The ordinary wheat flour paste
will serve well enough for fastening the lining paper to the wall, but
it must be quite heavy for embossed or pressed paper. Each piece of
the embossed paper must be trimmed dry with straight edge and knife
before pasting, and while this requires greater care in applying the
paste, it is necessary, in order to get the piece quickly on the wall be-
fore the paste has an opportunity to soak into the relief figures and
make them limp and flat. A very soft brush must be used in applying

739 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED. 109

the paper in place of the stiff brush of roller, and the seams should be
allowed to dry before applying the seam roller, and even then the roller
must be handled gently, because the color leaves embossed paper more
readily than is the case in ordinary papers. The principal point is ta
handle the paper delicately, without resorting to the usual pressing in
or stretching so common in hanging ordinary goods.

— 280 —

Waterproof Putty for Joints and Knotholes in Wooden Floors.

A mixture of five parts, by measure, of fresh cheese (the
so-called smearcase or cottage cheese) and one part, by measure, of
unslaked pulverized lime, kneaded together to a stiff dough, makes a
cement or putty that becomes stone hard and is insoluble in water,
and is, therefore, the material best adapted for filling joints and knot-
holes in wooden floors that are frequently washed. By the addition of
mineral colors, such as raw or burnt sienna, raw or burnt umber, yel-
low or red ocher, mineral brown, Van Dyke brown, Venetian or In-
dian red, you can color this putty to any desired shade.

— 281 —

Treatment of Varnished Floors Before Revamishing.

The scratches and indentures from shoenails will surely
show through any coat or coats of varnish that may be applied, unless-
the floor is sandpapered first with coarse and then with smooth sand-
paper. The sandpapering must be done with the grain of the wood or
the scratches made by it will also show through the varnish. If two
coats of varnish are not considered too expensive, I would recommend
a first coat of hard drying rubbing varnish, not flowed on, but rubbed
out well and if the desired effect will permit, slightly stained to hide
scratches and indentures with the appropriate color (ground in japan
and first thinned somewhat with the varnish before it is added to the
rubbing). This coat, if the job is to be a very good one, should be
mossed with hair and pumice, but the latter proceeding may also be
dispensed with and the surface merely dusted before finishing coat is
applied, which should consist of a hard drying, yet elastic, floor var-
nish. If the job is to be hurried very much, a full coat of shellac
varnish may be given in place of the rubbing varnish, and the floor
varnish on top of this. Unless the floor is to have a very high luster,
the two coats of varnish mentioned are sufiicient. One gallon of var-
nish should cover from 450 to 500 square feet of floor space, one coat^
if the old varnish is not too much worn.

— 282 —

Water Paint or OH Paint That Will Stand Without Peeling or Crack-

ing on a Cement Wall.

The difficulty in painting comparatively fresh cement surfaces
is not so much in the selection of the paint material, as in pre-
paring the surface itself, so as to isolate or neutralize whatever caustic
properties there may be that would tend to destroy the vehicle and, to
some extent, the color of the paint. We consider it perfectly safe to-
coat a cement surface that is one year old and has been well washed.

no 7sg PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED.

and rinsed with clear water and allowed to dry thoroughly with a
linseed oil paint, same as a plastered wall. If the surface, however, be
fresh, say less than one month old, we consider the dilute sulphuric
acid treatment safest and best. To one gallon of water add twelve
fluid ounces of oil of vitriol and with a swab apply this solution to the
surface, repeating it when the first application appears dry. Allow to
stand a day or so, then rinse with clear water, and when dry priming
may be begun. This treatment will turn any excess of lime in the ce-
ment into sulphate of lime, which is harmless to the oil in the paint.
It also produces a uniformly absorbent surface to which the paint will
adhere well, while without this treatment there will be spots in the
surface that are less porous than others.

If the cement surface is one or more months old, the sulphuric acid
treatment may be omitted and a wash of four ounces of bicarbonate
of ammonia dissolved in two gallons of water given in its place, in
which case the surface may be primed with oil as soon as the wash
has dried. For exposed work, we should certainly suggest none other
than linseed oil paint, while for interior work a good water paint will
do very well, providing the wall will not require frequent washing.
In any case, the walls should be treated to a wash as above, in order to
make the surface non-caustic and absorbent. Although we have never
tried it ourselves, this suggestion of an old veteran in the painting
business strikes us favorably: Thin down 33 deg. silicate of soda
(soluble glass), with its own volume of warm water and apply one
coat of this to the surface. When dry, which will be in less than
two hours, give a coat of water paint made from Paris white and
earth paint with starch for binder, repeating uutil good body is ob-
tained, and when dry rub down with fine sandpaper. Then give a
finishing coat of the dilute soluble glass, same as for first coat, and
the job is finished, giving a stone hard surface.

— 283 —

How to Finish White and Yellow Pine.

The very best, though not the cheapest, way to finish white pine
is to see that the work is well sandpapered with the grain, then
thoroughly dusted. Give at least one coat white shellac varnish
and one coat of inside varnish; if this is too expensive substitute
liquid filler for the shellac. For hard or yellow pine finish, apply one
coat orange shellac varnish and one or two coats light hard oil finish,
or omit the shellac and apply hard varnish instead. A filler is not re-
quired for this wood.

— 284 —

Various Ways of Finishing Hard Wood Floors.

In all cases see that the floor is clean, well planed and dry, put
on a coat of three parts boiled oil, one part turpentine and one part
japan, which may be colored, if desirable, with such coloring matter
as will give the proper effect, but only enough coloring should be
given to produce a stain, not a paint, so as to permit the grain of the
wood to appear. When this is dry, apply a coat of paste filler, also

739 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED. iii

colored, when desirable, thinned with turpentine, and remove the sur-
plus before it sets too hard, by wiping across the grain. When dry,
rub smooth with sandpaper and putty up with putty of the proper
color and hardness. So far this method should be followed, no matter
what finish is desired, whether the floor is to be waxed or varnished.
If it is to be varnished, one coat at least of shellac varnish is given,
followed by more coats of shellac or good hard drying floor varnish,
according to choice. The gloss of the varnish may be dulled by moss-
ing or hairing with pumice and oil.

When a floor is to be waxed, the wax may be applied directly on
the filler, or over an intervening coat of shellac varnish with a brush
and polished with a large brush especially adapted to the purpose.
The floor wax is prepared by melting in a water bath pure yellow
beeswax and turpentine, but good floor wax polishes are oflFered ready
made by many manufacturers.

When the floor is fairly smooth and the wood of close grain, the
paste filler may be dispensed with, but a coat of shellac varnish should
be given whether the floor is to be waxed or varnished.

— 285 —

Soluble or Water Glass for Floors.

•

We have no experience with the use of soluble glass (silicate
of soda) for floors, but can give you the following for what
it may be worth and you can try it, the expense not being very great.
The floor must be first thoroughly cleansed and cracks filled with a
cement made from water glass and whiting ; this dry, put on a coat of
water glass, which is allowed to become hard, and followed by another
coat when dry with pumice stone and oil. We should, however, cau-
tion you against using it on floors that are exposed to considerable
dampness.

— 286 —

Carbolic Acid and Soft Soap for Removing Paint and Varnish.

We find that concentrated carbolic acid applied heavy on
paint or varnish acts very well on small spaces, especially in a hori-
zontal position. But on large surfaces, and especially on a vertical
surface, a medium to hold on in a heavy layer is required to make it
act. Soft soap, strongly caustic, is the best material to mix with the
carbolic acid, but great care is necessary to avoid contact of the hands
with either the acid or the mixture. It has been said for exterior work,
where the refined acid is too expensive, the crude article will serve as
well in admixture with soft soap, but it appears that here the latter
does the actual work rather than, the acid, because trials demonstrated
that on the same paint the soap alone acted more rapidly than the
mixture. The soap alone, however, raises the grain of soft wood,
while the mixture does not. In short, our opinion of carbolic acid as
a paint and varnish remover is not an exalted one, for the reason that
the material is rather expensive; that it penetrates too deeply to admit
of immediate repainting, and on account of its odor. There are several
paint removers on the market that are highly recommended ; why not
try one or several of these?

112 739 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED.

— 287 —

Proportion of Linseed Oil Required to Grind Certain Pigments Into

Paste.

In the following we shall give the average percentage of
oil in one hundred pounds of paste, because no strict rule can be laid
down, the percentage of oil required depending on the condition of
some of the pigments and fineness of grinding :

White lead, pure, eight or nine per cent.

Red lead, pure, twelve per cent.

Sublimed white lead, ten per cent.

Zinc white, French, sixteen per cent.

Zinc white, American, eighteen per cent.

Whiting putty, sixteen per cent.

Barytes, from eight to ten per cent.

Whiting paste, twenty per cent.

China clay, twenty-three per cent.

Silica, or silex floated, twenty-five per cent.

Terra Alba, twenty-two per cent.

Drop black, fifty per cent.

Lamp black, sixty-five to seventy-two per cent.

Gas black, eighty to eigthy-four per cent.

Mineral black, thirty-five to forty per cent.

Graphite, or plumbago, thirty to thirty-five per cent.

Chinese, or Prussian blue, fifty per cent.

Ultramarine blue, thirty per cent.

Mineral brown, twenty-two to twenty-five per cent.

Vandyke brown, forty-five to fifty per cent.

Burnt sienna, Italian, fifty per cent.

Burnt sienna, American, thirty-five per cent.

Raw sienna, Italian, fifty-five per cent.

Raw sienna, American, forty per cent.

Burnt Turkey umber, forty-two to forty-five per cent.

Burnt umber, American, thirty-five per cent.

Raw Turkey umber, forty-five per cent.

Raw umber, American, thirty-five per cent.

Chrome green, chemically pure, from twenty-six to thirty-five per
cent., according to shade.

Chrome green, commercial grades, from fifteen to twenty-three per
cent., according to shade, the lightest shades requiring least.

French ocher, thirty to thirty-three per cent.

Yellow ocher, American, twenty-eight to thirty per cent.

Oxford ocher, English, twenty-five to thirty per cent

Indian red, twenty per cent.

Red oxides, twenty-three to twenty-five per cent.

Venetian red, twenty-three to twenty-six per cent.

Tuscan red, twenty-five per cent.

Rose pink, thirty to thirty-five per cent.

Carmine, French, fifty to fifty-five per cent.

American v.ermilion, twenty to twenty-two per cent.

English vermilion, fifteen to eighteen per cent.

739 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED. 113

Artificial vermilion, usually fifteen per cent., but ranging as high as
thirty per cent, in some brands of light specific gravity.

Light chrome yellow, twenty per cent.

Medium chrome yellow, twenty-six per cent.

Dark, or orange yellow, twenty-two per cent.

Yellow lake, French, thirty-eight per cent.

In the list (given we refer to pure pigments only, excepting where
otherwise stated, as in the case of commercial chrome green.

— 288 —

Copper Paint for Ships* Bottoms.

We assume that this refers to the copper paint used for
protecting the bottoms of wooden vessels against the accumulation
of sea growth and barnacles, that tends to impede the progress of the
ship. We would say that the formulas for these paints are proprietary,
at least those that have a large sale, and that ship owners do not take
kindly to experimenting with new brands and seem inclined to favor
established goods, though even these fail sometimes to give satis-
factory results. As far as we can learn, the best copper paints consist
of oxide of copper, ground fine in such a medium as pine tar and crude
turpentine and reduced to proper consistency for brushing with spirits
of turpentine, rosin spirit or other kindred solvents. Some brands, we
believe, have creosote in addition, but it is said that this is not a good
feature. Some experimenting with the materials named will be ne-
cessary, if success is to be attained.

— 289 —

To Make White Lead Dry a Dead Flat on Walls.

We are told by several experienced painters that the ad-
dition of a very small portion of clear water will accomplish your pur-
pose. Beat up your keg lead first with a paddle, then stir in your
water until it unites with the lead, add your coloring matter and drier
and reduce to working consistency with pure turpentine. The small
portion of water present in the paint will do no harm, as it will evapor-
ate as the paint dries.

— 290 —

How to Mix Freestone and Ivory Tints and Various Greens.

Freestone is, as near as we can describe it, a sandstone of
the reddish drab variety, but any stone that is of the sandy or gritty va-
riety may be termed freestone. The nearest approach to the color will
result from a mixture of ten parts white lead, five parts French ocher,
one part Venetian red and one-half part lampblack. Ivory can be pro-
duced by mixing one part of raw sienna with 100 parts of white lead.
Wlien cost is no object, and a fine, clear tint is wanted, two parts
French yellow lake, one part of first class raw Italian sienna mixed
with 97 parts of white lead (or zinc white for inside work) will bring
about excellent results.

Subdued green can be made by mixing Prussian blue and lemon
chrome yellow, adding raw umber and a little white until desired effect

114 739 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED.

is obtained, or the raw umber and white may be added to commercial
chrome green, or Brunswick green, as it is termed in Europe. Moss
green is made by mixing Prussian blue, medium chrome yellow, raw
umber and white or chrome green with raw umber and white. Pro-
portions vary according to the strength of the various colors used.
Silk green can be made by mixing Prussian blue witTi lemon chrome
yellow and French yellow lake. If the latter is too expensive, use
Dutch pink instead. Proportions required depend on the depth of hue
and richness of color desired.

Greenstone is made from white lead or zinc white chrome or Bruns-
wick green and drop black.

— 291 —

Cause of the Cracking of Grained Work.

This subject has been under discussion in a master painters'
organization and various reasons were given by experienced
men. Some of the speakers laid the blame on green varnish, others
on the fattiness of the graining color and others again on the ground
being too oily. Boiling down the various opinions, we take it that in
order to prevent grained surfaces from both peeling and cracking, the
ground color should be pure keg lead, tinted with oil color to suit,
thinned with turpentine and liquid drier only, so that it will dry flat
as possible; when oil color is used for the graining it must not be
fatty, but fresh goods, thinned with turpentine and drier only, as the
colors contain enough oil for binder at any rate.

Lastly, the graining should be allowed to stand afleast two months
before being varnished over, and even then a heavy varnish must not
be employed, but a light bodied outside varnish or a varnish that has
been cut with turpentine.

— 292 —

Amount of Japan Drier to Be Used in Paint.

This depends very much on the nature of the pigment
used in the paint, as well as on the strength of the drier itself and on
the time allotted for drying, as well as on the application. Oil paint
that is brushed out well and uniformly will dry hard in the same space
of time with one-half of the quantity of drier as a coat that is laid on
heavy. A good oil and turpentine liquid drier that is free from rosin
is the best article to select, and we would say that where the paint con-
sists mainly of pure lead one-half pint or drier to 7^ pints of raw hn-
seed oil is sufficient to make the paint dry in from 18 to 24 hours in
moderately dry weather. In very hot weather this quantity can be
reduced to one-half, while in cold and damp weather it should be
doubled. When the paint consists of mineral pigments, such as min-
eral brown, red oxides, Venetian red, ocher, etc., one pint of japan or
liquid drier to seven pints of raw linseed oil is not excessive, and in
blacks, bronze greens, Vandyke brown, etc., even a larger quantity is
required. When boiled linseed oil is being used, instead of the raw
oil, it is again necessary to find the drying quality of this boiled oil in
order to ascertain how much, if any, additional drier is needed. You

739 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED. 115

will see that no rule can be laid down for the painter to go by, and
that you will have to experiment in order to see with how little drier
you can get along, always remembering that the addition of drier does
not enhance the wearing quality of paint.

— 293 —

Quick Drying, Colorless Varnish for Silver Articles.

A formula for a preparation that will effectually protect
silver and similar metal from tarnishing is given by Richard Hale in
an exchange, as follows : . Soluble guncotton, one-eighth Troy ounce,
five ounces amyl-acetate, two ounces petroleum spirit, one ounce wood
naphtha, placed in a small glass bottle or jar until guncotton is dis-
solved and filtered.

Care must be taken in preparing this varnish and it must be kept
away from any flame, it being very combustible. Before it is applied
to the metal the latter must be cleaned and polished in the usual way.

If the preparation is too troublesome for you, we would advise you
to try the bronzing medium, sold under the name of banana oil, which
you can obtain from any dealer in bronzes, etc.

— 294 —

Imitation of Gold Color for Lettering.

The Standard Dictionary gives the formula as 11 parts white,
42 parts orange and 47 parts yellow. But almost every painter
has his own way of mixing paint in imitation of gold. The best imita-
tion we have seen was made from 60 parts by weight of flake white in
japan, 33 parts lemon chrome yellow in japan, 5 parts deep English
vermilion in oil and 2 parts burnt sienna in oil. A paler imitation of
gold was made from 65 parts flake white, 32 parts lemon yellow, i
part light chrome green and 2 parts bufnt sienna, all ground in japan.
A strong gold color, that will work out light and free und6r the strip-
ing pencil, may be made from medium chrome yellow, zinc white and a
trifle red. For old gold, mix deep orange yellow with French yellow
ocher.

The best plan is to practice some, having some gold lettering or
striping that has been varnished over for a guide, matching as close
as is possible with paint.

— 295 —

Best Way to Paint Floors of Kitchens and Porches.

It is almost impossible for a paint maker to produce a paint
to suit any and all conditions of floors, because the kind of lum-
ber diflFers in various localities and floors are subjected to different
usage. In kitchens where much washing is done, the soap suds are
allowed to remain on the floor for hours and act as a paint remover in
a slow, but certain manner. And very frequently, instead of such
floors being simply mopped up, they are scrubbed energetically with
soap and brush. Porch floors are painted regardless of the moisture
from underneath and without a suitable priming.

n6 739 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED,

We would suggest the following for kitchen floors : If the floor is
old and has not been painted before, have it well cleaned and allow to-
dry. Get all the dirt out of cracks and nail holes, then prime with
equal parts linseed oil, japan and turpentine. When dry, putty up all
cracks and nail holes with putty colored like the subsequent coats ot
paint. Use equal parts lead and zinc and mix it so- as to dry flat
on first coat, but for the finish use equal parts of rubbing varnish and
turpentine. This will give you a half gloss and will wear well. For
a new pine floor, prime with white lead and oil, applying it thin, putty
up and proceed as with the old floor. For maple or other close grained
wood, proceed as for new pine, but oak floors should be first filled with
paste hardwood filler and then painted as above. For porch floors^
prime with pure white lead, thinning with boiled oil ; when dry, putty
with material the color of your paint. Succeeding coat should be
based on pure lead in oil, but finishing coat should contain some zinc
white in order to give proper hardness. Brush out each coat to the
utmost and give plenty of time between coats and do not hold the last
coat too oily.

— 296 —
Lithopone White.

Lithopone, or Lithophone, as it is sometimes spelled, is a sulphide of
zinc white, while what we know as zinc white is oxide of zinc.

It is a compound of zinc sulphide and barium sulphate, and was not
originally intended for the use of the painter, although it has now re-
placed white lead as well as zinc white in some industries where these
pigments were once largely used. Charlton white, Griffiths white,
patent zinc white, are all of similar composition, and the material is
also produced in this country under various names. The foreign im-
portations of lithopone are offered in three or four grades, as green
seal, red seal, blue seal and yellow seal, the green seal being whitest,
finest and most opaque. The specific gravity of this pigment is be-
tween that of white lead and zinc white, and its body or covering
power superior to that of ordinary zinc white. While it is unaflfected
by sulphur gases, etc., and therefore a stable pigment for use about
chemical laboratories and for interior use generally, it does not stand
exposure to sunlight as well as white lead or zinc, and is very apt to
blacken when used on exposed .surfaces. Nor can it be mixed with
white lead or Paris green or any pigment having lead or copper for
its base, because of the double decomposition that is liable to take place
in such mixture. When lithopone is mixed with water or oil or pale
varnish and applied as a paint on surfaces exposed to sunlight, it will
on drying assume a decidedly grayish tint, which turns white again
over night, returning to gray again during sunlight exposure, and this
will alternate until the paint has become thoroughly hard. It is, there-
fore, not a safe, all around pigment for house painters' use.

— 297 —
Method of Staining Oak Black.

The most effective way to stain oak black, making the
stain penetrate deeply into the wood, is to take iron filings, place them

739 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED. 117

into a strong stoneware pitcher or strong glass jar, pouring over this
a mixture of equal parts of oil of vitriol and soft water, stirring the de-
coction frequently with a glass rod or wooden stick until the liquid has
assumed a greenish color. This liquid is applied to the oak repeatedly
until the black effect desired is obtained, and then the surface is rinsed
with weak soda water, and finally with clear water and allowed to dry.
The solution should be applied with a swab made by tying old cloth
around the end of a stick, and great care taken to keep the acid from
touching the hands, face or clothes. Nor should the solution be
allowed to stand about the shop, except it be properly labeled as to
contents, and well covered.

This makes a good neutral black stain, neither of the bluish tone of
the aniline blacks, nor the brownish tone produced by other decoctions.

If a deeply pentrating stain is not required, a decoction made by
boiling green walnut shells in water may be substituted, but four or
five applications will be required. A nut gall solution, to which a
trifle of sulphate of iron (copperas) has been added, also produces a
good stain, but none will penetrate so deeply as the first mentioned.

— 298 —

How to Paint a Whitewashed Brick Wall.

An engine room had received two coats of lime whitewash with
plenty of salt. This coating did not brush off easily, and the owners
wished it painted. The temperature of the room is about 75 deg. F.

If the whitewash has been applied recently, say within
two or three months, it is best to scrape off as much as possible and
give the wall a wash of strong vinegar and let it dry. If the white-
wash is over six months old, give it a good brushing down with a stiff
broom so as to remove all that is scaly, and then give the wall a
wash of white lead, using about nine pounds of keg lead to five pints of
raw linseed oil, one-half pint turpentine and one-half pint good liquid
drier that is free from rosin or gum. This wash will penetrate into
the wall, binding the remaining whitewash so that it will not peel and
take succeeding coats along with it.

Now putty up joints, if a good, smooth job is desired, using good
linseed oil putty, to which add some dry white lead and a little drier.

On this flat surface give another coat of white lead, which should
be held half flat, if a gloss coat is to be given as the finish. For a job
to stand frequent cleaning, as is the case in the walls of an engine
room, it is best to finish with a coat of zinc white that has been mixed
with a pale, hard drying varnish. You need have no fear of the effect
of the limewash upon white lead paint if you neutralize it with the
vinegar wash referred to, nor if the limewash is over six months old.
After you have the whitewash securely bound to the wall with the
first coat of lead, as noted, you may proceed as you would in painting
a plastered wall.

— 299 —

A Bronzing Liciuid That Will Hold Up Heavy Bronze.

A bronzing liquid was wanted for bronzing picture frames with
"heavier or cheaper varnishes. The inquirer had tried varnish reduced

Ii8 739 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED.

with turpentine, but the powder immediately precipitated and did not
have a metallic luster after application.

You cannot expect heavy bronze to hold up in a thin liquid of
such consistency as is required to allow the bronze to spread
and flow out well and yet have a good luster. Nor can you expect
that heavy bronze will mix with a stout liquid and keep from hardening-
when once settled in the pot. The best bronzing liquid is one that
hardens most rapidly throughout, because it does not give the bronze
an opportunity to oxidize, which is proved by the fact that bronze
which is baked on by heat has the best luster and retains it longest.

We would suggest a mixture of equal parts of gold size japan or
coach japan and a good grade of pale coach varnish, thinned with pure
spirits of turpentine, to which is added only enough bronze to give
the luster desired, and only enough mixed at a time as can be worked
up, in say fifteen mintes or so. If it sets too rapidly under the brush
to admit of free application, dissolve some white or yellow beeswax in
hot turpentine (in a water bath) and use this for thinning the japan
and varnish in place of the clear turpentine, but one ounce of wax is
sufficient for one quart of turps.

A quick bronzing liquid that will keep bronze powder soft, though it
will settle quickly, may be made by dissolving three pounds of pale
orange shellac in one gallon wood alcohol, adding two ounces of gum
camphor, straining the solution through fine muslin or cheesecloth.
This liquid will require no more than one-fourth of its own measure of
bronze, and the preparation must be deftly applied, as it will rub up
again if gone over too often with the brush.

— 300 —
Mucilage for Labels on Tin Cans.

Mix four parts by measure of commercial silicate of soda (water
glass) and only one part by measure of pale syrup. If not thick
enough, add sugar until it is of proper consistency.

— 301 —
Fireproof Paint.

We do not believe that a really fireproof paint is or has
ever been in existence. From the materials suggested in the follow-
ing, we think, however, that the preparation is fire resisting,' though
we cannot see how it would stand, as is claimed, exposure to all sorts
of weather for thirty years. The formula as published is: Equal parts
by weight of comnion salt, ^lum, silicate of soda (water glass) and
tungstate of soda are mixed with four parts of lime and all ground
fine in enough boiled linseed oil to make a stout paint, which is ap-
plied in the usual manner.

— 302 —

Coating the Inside of Bakers' Delivery Wagons to Prevent Bulging.

We do not think that this feature comes within the scope
of the painter, but rather belongs to the wagon builder. Sheathing,
similar to that used in railway baggage cars, should be employed

739 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED. 119

on the inside of such wagon bodies and tops. The sides and top could
be lined with sheet zinc, placing roofing felt or similar material be-
tween the wood and the sheet zinc. As paint, however, does not well
adhere to zinc, the surface requires treatment to make the paint hold
on, which can be done by first giving it a wash of the following solu-
tion : One part, by weight, each of chloride of copper, nitrate of cop-
per, sal ammoniac, dissolved in 64 parts of water. Do not use a tin
pot for making solution, but an earthen or glass vessel. When solu-
tion is made, add one part of commercial muriatic acid and apply with
a flat brush. The zinc will blacken, but on drying out there will be
a g^ay film, on which any paint will adhere. Coat with flat drying
paint and varnish over with good, hard rubbing varnish.

— 303 —
Repainting Soft Brick That Has Shelled.

We do not know of anything that will prevent brick from
shelling or chipping, because this is mostly caused by defective ma-
terial in the brick or defective manufacture of the same. Soft brick
will absorb much more moisture than hard brick and neither should
ever be painted, excepting after a prolonged dry spell, because the
moisture that is kept in the brick by the paint will freeze during cold
weather, expand and make the paint scale and the brick shell off or
chip. For repainting under such conditions, we can only give you this
advice : Do it only at the owner's risk, unless after a long dry spell in
summer; clean the surface down well, removing all loose paint and
shell of brick ; give a good priming of raw oil with very little pigment
in it and when dry, putty up. If you can afford to give three coats,
make your second coat stout, using part pure white lead (at least one-
third), thinning with two parts raw oil and one part turpentine and
drier; use it stout, but rub well into the brick, then apply your finish-
ing coat, as you like, flat or glossy, but in the latter case, use good
boiled linseed oil. If you must get along with two coats, see that you
get some lead in the priming.

— 304 —

Enameling the Interior of a Refrigerator in White.

The specifications for finishing the inside of a large refrigerator in
white enamel provided that nothing should be used which would give
off any odor, and that it must resist hot or cold water, acids, lye, etc.

Your specifications are such that we do not care to give
you any suggestion and accept the responsibility for its success or
failure. We rather believe that there is no so-called enamel paint that
will withstand all that you mention, real enameling being the only
process that can be depended upon under such conditions. You do not
mention what the interior of this particular refrigerator is lined with,
and as we presume the material to be sheet zinc, we would say that
you must prepare this surface with the solution referred to in No. 301
and then give a coat of zinc white in oil, thinned with turpentine, and let
it dry hard, then sandpaper smooth. If this does not cover well, give
another coat, which also sandpaper smooth. Saturate some of the

120 729 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED.

best French zinc white with pure grain alcohol and pass it through a
fine strainer into a solution of bleached shellac in pure grain alcohol,
stirring constantly to prevent lumping. This will give you a quick
white coating that will lose all odor in a very short time, but which
must be used immediately after being mixed, as zinc white rapidly
disintegrates shellac or spirit varnishes. As before mentioned, we do
not assume any responsibility in making this suggestion.

— 305 —

Staining and Finishing Store Fixtures in Dark Oak That Have Been

Stained and Finished in Cherry,
In order to make any kind of a job, you will have to
remove the varnish first, either by sandpapering or with varnish re-
mover (and we should suggest a mixture of aqua ammonia, two parts,
and turpentine, one part), which will probably remove the stain, also,
especially if it was a water stain. If this should be the case you'll
have clear sailing, as the stain that remained in the grain of the wood
only will not interfere much with your dark oak stain. Should you,
however, be unsuccessful in removing the cherry stain, you will have
to make your dark oak stain on a different plan, more in the nature of
a paint than a stain, and you will have to leave out red entirely from
your mixture, making it on the antique oak plan, because the red from
the cherry stain will give the proper blend. In the latter case you will
require extra binders and driers in your staining preparation, as it
cannot penetrate into the wood as well. We cannot give you any ad-
vice on the finishing, as you have not informed us what grade of a job
you expect to furnish your patron with, but would advise you to use
a very high grade of varnish, because such fixtures are subject to con-
siderable wear.

— 306 —

Stains in Freshly Kalsomined Walls and Ceilings.

The walls and ceilings of a public building had been rough plastered
with adamant three months before they finished with two coats of a
cold water kalsomine. The painter was told that with this prepara-
tion no size was necessary, but found, no matter how much he applied
for first coat, the surface absorbed all, yet on applying the second coat,
two days afterward, the paint worked as sleek as if over oil paint and
promised to make a nice, uniform job, but when it dried out it was
badly spotted and stained. The building was not heated and the glaz-
ier was putting in the sash while the painting was going on.

In the first place you should have used a size unless you
were acquainted with the properties of the cold water paint from
previous experience. It is not always safe to depend upon the claims
of a label, especially where a large job comes into question. The
cause for the spotting may be manifold, as for instance, the building
not being heated, the first coat of paint may not have been dry or hard
enough, or the plaster may have been entirely too porous to allow the
paint to dry out uniform without sizing, or it may have been due to a
fault in the paint itself. Whatever may have been the cause we would

7i9 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED. 121

advise you to apply a size made as follows: One pound pale glue,
one pound good bar soap and two pounds pulverized alum, each sepa-
rately dissolved in one quart of boiling water. First mix glue and soap
solutions, then while continually stirring add the alum solution and
finally cold water enough to make a gallon of size. Apply the size cold
and on top of this your kalsomine, or cold water paint, but if you do
not care to risk this again, then prepare your own kalsomine, formulas
for which you will find elsewhere in this book. It is possible, how-
ever, that the spots may be due to the peculiar action of
adamant plaster, which is extremely difficult to paint upon, especially
before it has become thoroughly dry and seasoned. This plaster sets
hard at once, but it does not become bone dry as quick as ordinary
plaster. Unless the. laths are nailed with galvanized nails, adamant
will act on the iron and cause stains which will show through any sub-
sequent coats of paint or kalsomine after the plaster has dried out.

— 307 —
Prepared Paste for Paper Hangers.

We do not know of any prepared paste for paper hanging
that we should care to recommend, but in the following you will find
something that is portable, and will serve the purpose very well. Place
one quart of water, as hot as the hands will bear, into a pail and add a
tablespoonful of pulverized alum. Have best wheat .flour sifted and
put into the water, stirring it with the hand and work it as you would
in making dough for bread until it is so stiff that you cannot beat it
any longer. Have a clean paddle or stick and plenty of boiling water
ready, which pour rapidly into the pail, stirring in the meantime until
the paste begins to turn or cook; then stop pouring in water, but
continue to stir the paste until cooked, Paste cooked too much will
not hang, hence the pouring in of water must be stopped at the turn-
ing point, which happens when it begins to lose its whiteness. Level
off the paste, pour cold water over the top and let it stand over night,
when in the morning it may be cut into hunks that can be wrapped
in strong brown paper and carried in the grip. On reaching destina-
tion, you can borrow a pail, thin the paste with water and it is ready
for use.

Thick paste like this, before it is thinned, will not mold or sour
for months, except in very hot weather.

In making this paste, as well as the ordinary ready paste, care must
be taken to have it free from lumps.

— 308 —

Cause of Paint Cracking and Peeling on the Sheltered Portions of

Dwellings.

A house built in 1890 was painted with yellow ocher and allowed to
remain for two months, then painted white with two coats of strictly
pure white lead and. linseed oil. In 1899 it was again painted white
with ready mixed paint, which was found by analysis to contain 75
per cent, zinc oxide in the pigment, and mixed with strictly pure lin-

122 739 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED.

seed oil. In 1901 the paint started to crack and peel off, especially
where it was protected from the sun under the porches, etc.

During the past ten years or so, many experienced and
observing painters have pointed out the effects of priming with yellow
ocher alone, and have recommended that when ocher is to be used
for priming it should be mixed with from 50 to 70 per cent, of pure
white lead and thinned with pure raw linseed oil only, or at most with
the minimum quantity of drier. Ocher, consisting for the most part
of silica or sand, is at best a brittle pigment and cannot hold its own
with white lead as a priming. When covered with an elastic white
lead paint, it will remain fixed longer than when a more brittle paint
is used over it, but sooner or later it will "split," throwing off the top
coats of paint. If this has happened in your case, you can determine
by examining the back of the peeled off strips of paint, as well as the
bared wood, both of which would show a yellow color. We believe that
the lead paint had perished to such an extent that the lead and zinc
paint obtained a direct hold on the ocher priming, which had also lost
its adhesion to the lumber, and there not being oil enough for all caused
the cracking and subsequent peeling or scaling. The only other cause
that the trouble could be attributed to would be a damp surface on
painting.

— 309 —

Repainting Golf Balls.

We haven't much experience in that line, but would say
that the balls must first be cleansed, which is best accomplished by
soaking them in strong solution of sal soda until the old paint has
fairly well disappeared, or at least softened, so that it may be removed
with a scrub brush. Rinse in clear water, wipe with a dry cloth and
allow to dry so that the rubber composition becomes hard again. To
repaint balls white, mix equal parts of lead and zinc in oil, thin to stout
consistency with a good elastic coach varnish, adding a little ultra-
marine blue to take off the yellow cast given to the white by the var-
nish. For the red, thin dark orange chrome or vermilion, or a mix-
ture of these in a like manner. If you want to have the paint elastic
enough to stand the wear, you must not use drier in the paint, but give
it plenty of time to dry. To keep it from remaining tacky, however,
you may find it necessary to employ driers, and in that case we would
suggest to use a good paste drier. A little experimenting on these
lines will tell you more than volumes of suggestions.

— 310 —

How to Produce Ivory White.

Tint any clear white lead or zinc with a trifle of raw
sienna uptil you have the desired effect. Or if you wish to have a very
clean effect, use a trifle of yellow lake in place of the sienna.

— 311 —

How to Prepare and Apply Blackboard Slating.

To make a good blackboard, the surface must be prepared
in the proper way. On a plastered wall give a coat of glue size

739 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED. 123

first, rub this down lightly with fine sandpaper, then moisten lamp-
black with alcohol, making a paste and stir enough of this into shellac
varnish to give body. Apply this over the glue size evenly, and when
hard rub it with pumice and water. On wood, omit the glue size, but
give two coats of the shellac and lampblack mixture, and sandpaper
lightly or moss down with pumice and water. Then give two coats
of the following: Dissolve i pound brown shellac in 2 quarts alcohol,
add ij ounces of dry lampblack, i^ ounces ultramarine blue, 4 ounces
flour of emery and 6 ounces flour of pumice. If too stout to work freely,
thin with alcohol. Such a blackboard may be written on with soap-
stone pencils as well as chalk. Remember that the preparation must
be applied rapidly to prevent laps.

— 312 —

Formula for Carriage Top Dressing.

What eflfect will oxalic acid, used in bleaching a piece of wood, have
on the varnish used in refinishing it?

If you desire a quick drying, lustrous black enamel for
carriage tops, prepare it as follows : Melt nine pounds of best asphal-
tum with one-half pint of boiled oil, being careful not to let it boil over,
take to a safe distance from the fire, and while stirring the mass add
gradually one-half gallon spirits of turpentine.

If you want something that will preserve leather regardless of high
luster, melt one-quarter pound of beef suet with one quart of neatsfoot
oil and add two tablespoonfuls of melted beeswax, mixing all care-
fully and place in a well covered vessel until wanted. If wanted black
for covering up worn places, add some finely powdered drop black,
which is best done when the dressing has been warmed up.

— 313 —

Effect of Oxalic Acid on Varnish.

If you wash the surface with strong vinegar after you have restored
the natural color of the wood by an oxalic acid solution and give it
time to dry out thoroughly, it will have no effect whatever on your
varnish or its wearing qualities.

— 314 —
Cleaning Brass Before Buffing.

This, when done on a large scale, is accomplished with
revolving brushes, but to do it occasionally only and in a small way,
we would recommend the use of a paste made from one-half ounce
oxalic acid, powdered, three ounces of powdered rotten stone and one-
quarter ounce pulverized gum arable, mixed with sweet oil. Apply and
rub on the metal well with a stiff brush and wipe dry with woolen
cloth.

— 315 —

Wax Finish for Various Kinds of Wood.

The following method is for a first class finish, regardless of cost :
For the very best class of wax finish, see that your wood

124 729 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED.

is smooth finished and well dusted. Fill the open grained woods with
paste hardwood filler in the usual way, and when dry sandpaper. Then
gfive two coats, at least, of shellac varnish, rub down well with fine
flint paper and apply two or three coats of best polishing varnish, rub
the last coat when thoroughly dry with pumice and water. When this
is well cleaned and dry, polish with wax. This is best prepared by
melting pure beeswax and linseed oil together, thinning with spirits of
turpentine. One pound yellow beeswax, one-half pint of raw linseed
oil and one quart of turpentine will make a wax polish of the con-
sistency of ointment that will not scratch the finish. Follow the same
method for the close grained woods, but omit the filler, as the shellac
will accomplish that purpose. The very cheapest method of obtaining
a wax finish is to oil the wood, fill the close grained woods with cheap
paste filler and apply the wax finish after sandpapering.

For pine, however, we would suggest at least one coat of shellac
varnish, even in cheap work, to keep in the sap. This coat should be
applied after the oiling has become hard, and if the shellac is put on
woods you have mentioned, oak and redwood are the only ones re-
thin and uniform, sandpapering or rubbing is not required. Of the
ijuiring paste filler.

For maple floors it is best to apply two coats of white shellac varnish
after cleaning up with turps, rubbing the last coat of shellac with pum-
ice and water, and when dry the wax floor polish mentioned above is
applied with a brush and polished with a horse brush or floor polish-
ing brush.

For a cheap finish, clean up the floor with turpentine, omit oil from
the wax polish, melting the wax and thinning it with turpentine while
hot, applying it directly to the wood in the same manner as noted
above.

— 316 —

How to Prepare a Good Photographers' Paste.

We have been informed by competent authority that the
best photographer's paste is made from common wheat starch, and
would, therefore, suggest that you try the same. This paste must not
be cooked, but prepared in the following manner : Place a quantity of
the starch into an earthen or porcelain dish, break up the lumps into a
fine powder, and pour over it slowly boiling hot water, beating the
starch with a wooden spoon or paddle into a soft batter, which, if there
are any lumps, strain through cheesecloth or other coarse cloth. On
cooling, the paste should have the appearance of lard; if too thick,
thin with more boiling water.

— 317 —

Best Method of Painting or Enameling Zinc Bathtubs.

In order to make your paint hold on the zinc, you need a
wash which will produce a film to which oil paint will adhere. First,
remove all grease, etc., from the zinc lining with a solution of soda or
ammonia, and dry the surface thoroughly. Then apply with a wide,
soft brush the following preparation, which any druggist will make for
you : One part by weight of chloride of copper, one part by weight of

739 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED. 125

nitrate of copper, one part by weight of sal ammoniac, dissolved in
sixty-four parts by weight of water. When dissolved, add one part
muriatic acid. This solution must be kept in glass or earthenware, as
it will not keep in tin. This solution will dry in about twelve hours,
producing a grayish-black film, on which any kind of paint will hold-
However, because of the hot water and soap used in bathtubs, an all-
oil paint will not answer well, and only the first coat should contain
sufficient oil for binding, while for the finishing coat, especially, a gloss
pdint, made with good hard varnish, will serve best.

— 3x8 —
Re-Japanning an Old Japanned Tin Box.

To make a good job of such work will put you to more
trouble and expense than the box is worth, as you will see by the fol-
lowing: First, you will have to remove all of the old japanning, then
make a japan flow as follows : One pound gum sandarac, two ounces
each of balsam of fir, balsam of tolu and sugar of lead and one-half pint
linseed oil are placed in a suitable kettle over a slow fire at first, which
is then raised to a higher heat, until all are melted. Now the kettle is
taken from fire and allowed to cool somewhat, when under continued
straining two quarts turpentine are added, and the whole strained
through fine cloth. This is transparent, and to make the black japan-
ning, one pint of this japan flow is added to a mixture made as follows :
Two ounces of asphaltum are melted and thinned with one-half pint
of turpentine and one-half ounce of Prussian blue in japan added, all of
which must be strained and applied with a soft flat brush. This being
too long-winded a method for renewing one single article, we would
suggest that you sandpaper down the surface and apply baking enamel
black, placing the box in an oven with a heat of about 212 deg. F. for
three or four hours.

— 319 —

Preventing Ingrain Paper from Drying Out Spotted.

An inquirer desired to know how to prevent ingrain paper from dry-
ing out spotted ? Nearly all shades go the same way, although .plain
flour paste, without alum, was used, and the walls were in good con-
dition.

Not having seen the paper, we cannot say whether it is
faulty or not, and while you say that the walls were in good condition,
you do not mention having used paperhangers' size. Before hanging
ingrain paper, the walls must be prepared, whether they be new, old
papered, kalsomined or whitewashed. If the walls are new, they must
be sandpapered to remove all specks, to keep them from showing
through when the work is finished, and a coat of thin glue size applied
as hot as posible to prevent uneven suction or absorption of the paste.

All old papered, kalsomined or whitewashed walls must be thor-
oughly cleaned and washed, all cracks stopped and projections scraped*
down level, then a coat of glue size given, as in the case of new walls.

If there are any ceilings to be papered, prepare them same as the
walls and hang them first, because you will in this way prevent the
walls from b^ng soiled.

126 729 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED.

The paste to be used should be good wheat flour paste, with or with-
out alum, such as is made for ordinary paper, but thinned down much
more, almost like water, so that when the pieces are separated for
hanging they barely show the presence of paste. Shade the different
rolls before cutting up your stock, and should any of the paper look
darker or lighter, be sure that the change from one roll of paper to the
other comes in the corner, where it will not show. We believe, how-
ever, that your trouble of the paper showing spots is due to uneven
suction in the walls.

— 320 —

How to Hang Burlap on Board Walls.

While it is a difficult problem to hang burlap on a board
wall or ceiling when the lumber is not well seasoned, we do not see
why the burlap should bulge out at the points if you follow the rules
for hanging it on such surfaces, unless the lumber should warp and
crack in places. In such cases there is no other preventative except
to let the lumber become thoroughly dry first, then plane off all pro-
jections and fill in the cracks and joints. The part of wall that has
been painted must be glue sized, as well as the new part, and it is well
to add some washing soda to the glue size that goes on the paint, in
order to cut it somewhat. The burlap should be trimmed in such
widths that the joints (of the burlap) always come in the center of a
board. Paste the wall, one width at a time, with a good, strong paste
that is free from lumps and put the burlap on dry and use a roller.
Run the burlap the same way as the boards, and roll the edges down
well after each width is put up, and sponge the surplus paste off imme-
diately with warm water. Make your paste by dissolving one pound
of glue in two gallons of water, and put in enough paste powder to
make a stiff paste, then add to the warm paste two tablespoonfuls of
Venice turpentine and stir well.

Should any place in the joint open up after the paste has dried, use
filling in made by mixing plaster of paris with white shellac varnish.
We do not think that the pasting of heavy clapboard paper would assist
you to any extent.

— 321 —

Removing Whitewash from Ceiling Before Kalsomining.

Soften the whitewash by wetting it liberally and repeatedly with a
solution of two pounds potash in five gallons of water, and when soft-
ened, remove with a scraper.

— 322 —

How to Finish the Bar of a Saloon.

If we had been given particulars or details as to what kind
of wood the bar is made of, especially the front and top, also whether
there is a handrail around it and whether there is any carved work, etc.,
we could have answered this question much more intelligently. How-
ever, we will do the best we can and assume that it is new work and

7i9 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED. 127

that the wood is either oak, mahogany or walnut. You may leave it
either natural finish or stain it to enhance its richness; in the latter
case, stain your wood before filling it, but in any case use a good paste
filler that is stained to match the wood or the stain used. The wood
being filled, sandpaper lightly with the grain, then give at least one
good coat of shellac all over, which, when hard, sandpaper again and
give the front two good coats of best inside rubbing varnish, rubbing
or mossing the last coat with pumice and water and finish with one
coat of high-grade cabinet varnish, which, when dry, rub with flour of
pumice and water lightly ; clean off thoroughly and polish with rotten
stone and sweet oil. As for the top of bar and handrail, give at least
two additional coats of best shellac varnish, rub with pumice and oil
until you have obtained a perfectly level surface, and polish with rotten
stone and sweet oil.

Should the bar consist of close-grained wood, you can, of course,
omit the filler, staining the wood first and applying the shellac varnish
as soon as the stain has dried.

— 323 —

Lacquer for Brass and Its Mode of Application.

The formulas for spirit varnishes referred to by you were
not published as lacquers for brass, but for general ornamental work,
the idea being more to show what is to bie expected of such varnishes,
than to recommend them for practical work. In lacquering brass, the
metal must be cleaned from all grease, etc., by the use of the follow-
ing or a similar paste: One ounce oxalic acid, six ounces of rotten
stone, one-half ounce of gum arabic or dextrine are made into fine
powder and mixed to a paste with sweet oil. This is applied to the
brass and rubbed dry with a flannel, then with another clean dry piece
of flannel or woolen cloth the surface is polished. To make a good
brass lacquer, mix one pound pale orange shellac, four ounces turmeric,
one ounce annatto, one-half ounce saffron in one gallon 95 per cent,
grain alcohol, let all digest, then filter through asbestos fiber to clear.
Before using the lacquer on a large surface, try it on a small piece of
brass, and if the finish appears cloudy the lacquer may require thin-
ning, which can be done with more alcohol. Remember, the metal
must not be too cold when lacquer is applied, and it may be practical
to put it in a water bath during use. Lacquered brass should not be
polished with the usual polishing mediums, as they will simply take
off the lacquer sooner or later. Dusting off or wiping with a moist
chamois leather is all that is required to keep it clean.

— 324 —

Difference Between Venice Turpentine and Crude Turpentine,

Venice turpentine is a balsam, similar to balsam of fir or Canada
balsam, and a thick liquid of syrup-like consistency, imported from
France, while the crude turpentine is a thick, soft, white substance,
known as ink turpentine, or gum thus, and is only worth one-tenth of
the price of Venice turpentine.

128 739 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED,

— 325 —

Paint to Prevent Tin Cans Rusting in Water.

It has long since been determined by scientific researches
that linseed or any other oil is not impervious to water; on the con-
trary, that they soak up water almost like a sponge, hence some other
preparations are required to protect metal from rust in the presence
of water. We should recommend that the cans be first thoroughly
cleaned to remove all grease, etc., with soda water, then rinsed and
thoroughly dried. Now a thin coat of equal parts white lead and zinc,
thinned with turpentine and a little coach japan, to which good var-
nish — say a tablespoonful to each half pint of paint — is added, should
be given, and when this is dry a coat of enamel made from zinc in
damar varnish, colored to suit fancy, thinned with a little turpentine
and mixed with sufficient hard drying coach varnish to work freely,
applied as a finish. If each coat could conveniently be baked from four
to six hours at a temperature of about 150 deg. F., it would resist water
far better than the air-dried paint. We should point to our advertis-
ing columns, where the firms manufacturing such preparations an-
nounce their goods, and it may be much more convenient to consult
them than to experiment along these lines.

■

— 326 —

The Best Paint for Metal Roofs.

We do not recommend any particular brand of paint for
this purpose, but would say that a great deal depends upon the condi-
tion of the metal, upon local conditions and upon the quality of the
paint. Graphite, mineral brown, red oxide, Venetian red and
even coal tar have given more or less satisfaction, and we
believe that if graphite, metallic paint or Venetian red are
well prepared and mixed with a first-class oil and not over-
dosed with driers any one of these will stand well on a tm roof and
protect the same from rust, always provided that the tin has not al-
ready rusted, that it is well cleaned from rosin, dust and grease, and
that local conditions — such as the precipitation from neighboring fac-
tory chimneys, cinders, passing locomotives, etc. — do not assist in the
early perishing of the paint. A painter cannot well guarantee the
durability of the paint on a roof that has been painted before when he
considers what trash is often applied to new roofs, the cheapest kind of
mineral mixed from the dry with rosin or mineral oil, often thinned
with kerosene oil to make it spread.

— 327 —

The Settling of White Lead in Oil in Packages.

This will happen, to the purest and best white lead in oil
on long standing, and is due in such cases to the high specific gravity
of white lead, the oil not being of sufficient body to hold all of the lead
in suspension. In rare cases this may be aggravated by the coarse-
ness of the lead. However, we think that you refer principally to the
so-called graded leads or mixed white paints that are sold under th^

739 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED. 129

name of pure white lead, and in which this article is conspicuous \>y
its absence.

These generally consist of zinc white and heavy spar or barytes or
of sulphate of lead, zinc and -barytes, and they invariably become dry
and hard in the bottom of tins, the oil having no affinity for the heavy
spar, whose specific gravity is greater than that of either zinc or lead
sulphate.

— 328 —

White Fireproof Paint for Entrance to Coal Mine.

The entrance to a coal mine, 562 feet deep, was to be painted. The
place was cool and damp, and there were frequent explosions from gas
and coal dust. The management desired a white fireproof paint.

It would be unwise to use an oil paint or other costly
preparation on a job of this sort, and we can suggest something very
sSmpIe which we are told of by a painter who has used it for over
thirty-five years in damp cellars and other moist places with very sat-
isfactory results.

Three pounds of wheat flour, seconds, are mixed with cold water
to the consistency of syrup and then poured slowly into five gallons
boiling water, to which is then added one pound of crystallized vitriol
of zinc (zinc sulphate) and when this is fully dissolved stir in, for
white, twenty pounds — more or less, as needed — of zinc oxide (zinc
white). If a buff color is wanted, use yellow ocher in place of zinc
white; for red, use Venetian red.

— 329 —

Dyeing Car Seats Without Removing Plush.

We have received a communication from a brother craftsman*
ill Canada, who says that he has had experience in that line and found
the following plan to work out satisfactorily: When the plush was
not too much blackened and the nap or pile not too much worn, the
seats were made as bright and clean as new. First, a thorough scour-
ing with a good stiff brush dipped into a solution of one ounce con-
centrated lye to a pailful of warm water was given to remove alF
grease. Then a second scouring with vinegar to counteract the alka-
line properties of the lye was given, which also acts as a mordaunt for
the dye, as our grandmothers used to do in their days when dyeing
cloth, namely, add a few drops of vinegar to set the dye. This is done
on one day and next morning the same brush is used for applying
the dye, which is placed in a shallow dish, the brush dipped into it and
the plush, as it were, scoured with the dye. Our informant, who, for
obvious reasons, does not wish to hav^ his name appear in print, fur-
ther says that he has spoken to the manager of a dye works, who in-
formed him that the method would be followed if he had similar work
on hand, and that any good red dye of the proper hue would do the
work.

130 739 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED,

— 330 —
Cleaning Cars for Revamishing.

An opinion was asked as to the merits of a weak solution of sal soda
in water for cleaning the varnished parts of cars, etc., that are to be
revarnished. The solution had been used with powdered pumice for
rubbing and cleaning the surface, which is painted light buff and gold-
en ocher, and this was followed up by a thorough washing with hose,
water and brush.

You fail to state what experience you have had with your
method of cleaning the cars with your soda solution and pumice stone,
but as you simply ask our opinion on the use of soda, we will say that
we prefer the use of good soap in place of the soda solution. We con-
sider the following method the quickest and safest for preparing a car
for revarnishing. Good soft soap, water, pumice stone No. 2, a good
stiff scrubbing brush of Palmetto fiber, if possible, a bunch of curled
hair, a piece of soft wood to clean out corners, chamois skin and plenty
of never-tiring elbow grease are the necessary materials and tools
for good and quick work. When the surface has been carefully cleaned
the hose may be used, but the surface should be wiped with the cham-
ois skin and. no water allowed to remain anywhere. Before revamish-
ing all loose paint should be removed from battens, corners,
moldings, etc., and the whole surface lightly sandpapered. After
dusting, a coat of hard body varnish, reduced with about one-fourth its
quantity of turpentine, should be applied, and when this has dried all
bare spots should be touched up with quick drying color to match and
then puttied. When putty is dry, cut down with lump pumice, and fol-
low by rubbing the puttied spots with powdered pumice, felt and
water. Now the car is ready for touching up with color where needed,
but it is often better to repaint the whole car before revarnishing, at
least to give it a coat of color and varnish.

— 331 —

Apparent Causes for Non-Drying of Paint on Interior Work.

The woodwork of the kitchen of a house from which the tenants had
removed four or five days previously, was painted with white lead in
oil, tinted with burnt sienna and burnt umber, thinned with boiled oil,
turps and a small portion of liquid drier. There were no indications
of grease on the woodwork. On the base of window sills and the
woodwork round the sink and water pipes that run along the ceiling,
the paint dried hard, while four days after painting the balance the
paint was as wet to the touch as when first applied. On close inspec-
tion the color appeared to have separated from the oil and collected in
clots, underneath. The paint could be wiped off with a cloth, leaving
spots of color that appeared quite hard.

Despite your belief that there was no grease on the wood-
work in that kitchen, our experience tells us that your trouble was
due to one of the following conditions: The surface may have been
greasy without your taking notice of the same, or if not it may have
been improperly cleaned by the former tenants — that is, soap may have
been used in scouring and the soap not properly rinsed off; or your

739 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED. 131

paint may have been fatty and applied too stout. However, if the fault
was due to the paint, it would not have dried hard without separation
in the places mentioned, and therefore it points to a greasy surface or
a surface impregnated with material of caustic properties, both of
which will retard the drying of paint. In either case the paint will
be apt to run, unless a large percentage of driers is employed ; but in
the presence of alkali or caustics the paint will separate in the way
you describe it.

The painted work of a kitchen, no matter how short a time the
room has been used for the purpose, should be thoroughly scrubbed
with soap suds or water to which a little ammonia has been added, and
then rinsed with clear water very carefully, because the condensation
of the steam arising from cooking carries more or less grease with it,

— 332 —

Method of Obtaining a Stain for .Mahogany to Imitate Old Mahogany*

If yon want good, durable work, make your stain by using good
burnt sienna in oil, to which add a trifle of red lake to enrich it, or a
little drop black to darken it, using turpentine for thinning and add
japan or liquid drier to hasten its drying. Should you desire quicker
drying, make red sanders stain, to which add enough asphaltum to
obtain the required depth. To make the red sanders stain, buy a pound
or so of red sanders from any wholesale druggist ; fill any size bottle
about one-auarter full of red sanders and fill the bottle with alcohol.
This will extract the color from the sanders, and when it appears
strong enough strain the 'liquid and throw the grounds away. To
mix the red stain with asphaltum varnish the latter must be thinned
down with turps until it is of the same consistency of the stain, or they
will not mix. Dragon's blood will also make a beautiful stain for ma-
hogany, but it is too expensive. We cannot inform you as to the quan-
tities required to obtain the proper depth to match any given sample,
but think that you can work this out on the lines given.

— 333 —
Repainting Window Shades of Cloth.

There is only one material that will serve well for re-
painting window shades, and that is pure white lead where tints come
into question. Zinc white is too brittle, and is very apt to crack at
short notice in the rolling up. Put your curtains or shades, after they
are removed from the roller and after fringes, etc., have also been re-
moved, on a table or a couple of boards laid on trestles, and give them
a thorough scouring with soft soap and water and when clean a sec-
ond scouring with clear water, and while still wet fasten them to a
convenient frame with tacks, so that both sides can be painted without
waiting for cither to dry. When the water has dried apply your paint
with a wall brush as wide as you can find quickly and deftly. Do not
go over it more than once or you will have "shiners" and window
shades should be dead flat. Mix your tints from white lead in oil and
the required colors in oil, thinning with benzine only, adding a trifle
of drying japan only, and have the paint almost as thin as water. In

132 739 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED.

tinting avoid ocher as much as possible, unless very little only is re-
quired. It will scarcely pay to repaint any but the better grade of
hand-made opaque shades; the others will not stand it.

— 334 —

How to Silver a Mirror with Quicksilver.

First, have your glass plate or mirror perfectly clean; use
tissue paper for the final cleaning. Then lay a piece of tin foil (not
lead foil) somewhat larger than your mirror on a smooth, flat surface
and pour mercury to the depth of one-eighth of an inch over the tin
foil. Slide the clean glass plate over the foil with the advancing edge
just under the surface of the mercury, so as to bring a new surface
of amalgum against the glass. Then leave the glass for about fifteen
minute3 under pressure, and stand it on edge to drain. Collect the
surplus mercury into a bottle for future use, and when the quicksilver
on the glass has hardened it can be backed up with flat black, which
will make it more durable.

— 335 —

Removing Paint from Highly Polished Tanned Leather.

We are sorry to say that we have no experience in that
line, but can readily understand that turpentine and coal oil are not
powerful enough to do the work. He should have used chloroform
and a stiff brush, similar to a large tooth brush, or alcohol. A mixture
of absolute alcohol and sulphuric ether (equal parts) will remove any
kind of paint or varnish from leather, the varnish usually employed
for such work being shellac, which is soluble in alcohol, and chloro-
form or sulphuric ether will dissolve the hardest paint when given
plenty of time. In relettering such work, quick drying flat colors must
be used and the whole freshened up with shellac varnish.

— 336 —

Mixing Certain Colors, Tints and Hues.

Owing to the varying strength of the different brands in commerce,
we shall refrain from giving proportions, placing the name of the color
of which the largest quantity is required first, and that of which the
least is required last. The colors we select for the combinations are
such as would be used by artists and decorators, but not for the or-
dinary purposes of the house painter.

AMBER. — ^Yellow lake with a little white or red lake and chrome
yellow.

ASHES OF ROSES. — White, carmine or red lake tinged with ivory
black.

BISMARCK BROWN.— Burnt umber, Dutch pink and red lake.

BURGUNDY.— Asphaltum with good red lake.

CLARET. — ^Any good purple lake or carmine and a trifle of ultra-
marine blue.
DUCKS' EGG. — White, ultramarine blue, chrome yellow.

739 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED. 133

INVISIBLE GREEN. — Lamp or drop black and very little medium
chrome yellow.

TEA GREEN. — Raw umber, chrome green and ocher.

WILLOW GREEN.— Verdigris and white.

LEATHER COLOR. — Burnt sienna, burnt umber, subdued with
enough white to produce effect.

LIME STONE. — White, yellow ocher and a little black and red
•each.

PEACH BLOSSOM.— White and king's yellow (orpiment).

PLUM. — White, ultramarine blue, red lake or carmine and a little
-drop black.

PORTLAND STONE.— Raw umber, yellow ocher and white
enough to produce effect.

SAND STONE. — White, yellow ocher with very little black and red.

SLATE. — Lampblack, white, blue and a trifle red.

STONE COLOR.— White, yellow ocher, burnt umber.

VIOLET. — Carmine, ultramarine blue and a trifle black.

— 337 —

Shellac Varnish that Has Separated on Long Standing.

A five-gallon bucket of orange shellac varnish, warranted pure gum,
and found to be of good quality when bought, in the fall, was allowed
to stand all winter in a place without heat. On opening the package
in the spring it was found that the gum had separated and was in the
form of liver. Removing the bucket to a warm room, and frequently
shaking it failed to make the material come together. On heating a
portion, it apparently dissolved, but separated on cooling.

We believe that the trouble is due to a loss of strength in
the solvent, caused by evaporation, and it is also possible that mois-
ture has been absorbed in some way. The material should be placed
in a kettle that is set in a water bath, similar to that used for melting
glue, and while thus being heated it must be well stirred ; then more
spirit should be added to make up for what has been lost during the
heating.

— 338 —

Best Size for Gilding on Glass.

The best size for gilding on glass is, without exception,
fish glue dissolved in rain water. To find out whether it will be just
right for burnishing the leaf is to try the size on the hand and have
it so thin that it has only slight adhesive power, because if too much
isinglass is used the leaf does not burnish well. A prominent sign
writer uses a size made by dissolving isinglass in white wine vinegar,
filtering the size before using. Some decorators in Europe prepare a
size by macerating the seeds of quince in white whisky or brandy until
the resulting liquid attains proper cohesion, then filter it. This is said
to be the best size for gloss gilding on glass, but, of course, the most
<?xpensive one also.

134 729 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED.

— 339 —

Methods Employed in Waxing Floors.

It is not necessary to apply floor wax hot, though this is
done on parquet floors. Melted wax that has become thick on standing
can be thinned with turpentine while cold, but it is best to use a water
bath, same as for melting glue. Do not use an open fire, as it is dan-
gerous on account of the fumes.

Work of polishing can be commenced as soon as the wax has set
after application. Wax that is left over can be put away for the next
job, but should be placed in a well closed package. The wax should
have become hard enough so that it will not roll or rub up under the
weighted brush. The proper way to proceed in waxing floors is to-
prepare the wax polish by cutting up beeswax into small pieces and
melt it in a water bath, adding sufficient turpentine to make it liquid.
To make it of the proper hardness use equal parts of yellow beeswax
and Carnauba wax, and thin with turpentine to the consistency of
thick cream. Apply to the floor with a varnish brush, and as soon
as the mass has set fairly hard to the touch, begin polshing with the
weighted brush, and if polish is unsatisfactory give a second coat and
polish again.

— 340 —

Paint to Resist the Fumes of Acid from Chambers at Fertilizer Works.

What material is best to use in making paint for the above purpose
depends upon the color desired. Carbonate of lead and carbonate of
lime must be avoided in its composition. For tints, oxide of zinc or
lithopone (sulphide of zinc compound) should form the base, while
the coloring matter should be mineral or earth paints or lampblack,
as necessity may dictate. The vehicle should be heavy bodied linseed
oil and manganese drier.

For solid colors, such as red or brown, any good Venetian or Indian
red and mineral brown, containing not over 5 per cent, of carbonate
of lime, ground in and thinned with pure raw linseed oil and oil drier,
free from lead base, will serve the purpose well.

Where not exposed directly to the weather, as Well as to the atmos-
phere, a true asphaltum varnish free from rosin will serve very well,,
especially for the protection of metal surfaces.

— 341 —
Renovating a Painted Brick Front.

The method usually pursued in repainting brick fronts is
to use bent steel scrapers where the paint is soft and scaly, following
with stiff brooms or brushes, removing all the loose paint and allowing
the balance to remain, as it will not show when the front is painted in
flat color. Burning off with the torch would be the quickest and surest
method in your case, but you would have to be careful to keep the
flame away from the marble sills and trimmings to prevent their bemg
scorched. There are many ways to remove paint without burning, but
these preparations make such a miess on a brick front that the dry wa)""
of scraping and brooming is the best. You are the best judge as to

739 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED. 135

the proper method to pursue in this case, as you are on the g^round and
it will be a matter of an hour's time for you to ascertain whether
you can get the harder portion of the paint removed by scraping or
whether it is best to resort to burning. In using either method you will
save yourself the trouble of washing down the front, which you would
be compelled to do to save your new paint from being attacked if you
used an alkaline paint remover.

— 34a —

Coating a Water Tower of Steel with Asphaltum Paint or Varnish.

An appropriate estimate was wanted for painting a steel water
tower, 40 feet in diameter and 40 feet in height, under the following
specifications: "After inspection, which will be at shop, each sheet
must be cleaned and dipped into a bath of hot asphaltum, or painted
in the best possible manner with mineral paint of approved quality. ^
When the complete tank has been tested and made perfectly tight, the
whole shall be painted inside and outside two coats of asphalt paint,
the last color to be selected by the engineer."

We cannot give you the figures desired, because we do
not know at what price you will buy your material. Asphaltum paint
is a rather vague term, and such a paint may be bought as low as
thirty-five cents or as high as two dollars per gallon. The specifica-
tions are not clear enough on that point. We should think, however,
that a high grade of paint is required for a tank of that description.

You can calculate the cost of each coat of paint by dividing the num-
ber of square feet of surface to be coated by 400, which is about the
number of square feet that can be covered by a gallon of paint. For
instance, the tank being 40 feet in diameter, the circumference is 125 2-3
feet, and this multiplied by 40 feet (of height) gives 5,026^ square feet
as the surface to be coated on one side, or 10,053 ^^^^ ^^ ^^^^ sides.
Therefore, 25 gallons would be required for each coat. The bottom
and roof of tank (if there is a roof) would contain 1,2562-3 square feet
each, and this doubled would give 2,513 1-3 feet for each bottom and
roof, or 5,026 2-3 feet for both, requiring 12J gallons more for each coat.
To do the work well, would require the labor of one man for too hours
to apply one coat, both inside and outside, and 50 hours more to paint
bottom and roof on both sides one coat. As you are tied down bv spec-
ifications, it would be futile for us to speak of the merits of asphaltum
paint.

— 343 —

The Drying Out of Tinted Cold Water Paint.

A certain brand of cold water paint was used for exterior work ac-
cording to directions on the package. After beating it to a soft bat-
ter, the painter added some medium chrome yellow to obtain the de-
sired tint, and then thinned it with cold water to the consistencv of
oil paint. It worked very well that day, but next morning it had
turned lighter, when he added more yellow, but before he got through
with the job it had turned about two shades lighter and worked like
soap and water. He mixed enough at once to do the entire job and
kept it well stirred.

^3^ 739 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED.

We are not familiar with the composition of the brand of
cold water paint you mention, but would call your attention to the fact
that water paints dry out a great deal lighter in shade than they ap-
pear in the wet state, and that it is necessary to test the shade by allow-
ing it to dry, in a small way, before beginning to use it on a job. If
you have taken this precaution, and it has dried out lighter in spite of
that, then there is something in that paint which affects the chrome
ycHow. For example, lemon or medium chrome yellow should not be
used with any pigment of alkaline nature nor with silicate of soda, be-
rfluse its tone is partly destroyed when these are present to any extent.

— 344— .
Formula for Making Oil Wood Stains.

The following formulas are approximate, and judgment must be
used, increasing or decreasing the quantity of oil color to obtain the de-
sired result. The beauty of the stain depends on the richness of tone
and the fineness of grinding of the oil colors employed.

Cherry Stain. — To two pounds burnt sienna and one pound raw
sienna, add one-half gallon boiled linseed oil, one quart best brown
japan and one-half gallon spirits of turpentine. If the burnt sienna
is more of a brown than of the fiery red tone, then omit the raw
sienna, but use three pounds burnt sienna in place of two.

Mahogany Stain. — To two pounds burnt sienna, one pound of rose
pink and one-quarter pound of drop black, add one-half gallon boiled
oil, one quart best brown japan and one-half gallon of turpentine.
Vary the proportion of drop black according to the depth desired for
this stain.

Light Oak Stain. — To two pounds of raw sienna and one-half pound
of raw umber, add one-half gallon of boiled oil, one quart of best brown
japan and one-half gallon turpentine. If the raw sienna is inferior in
staining power, omit the raw umber and use three pounds of raw
sienna.

Dark Oak Stain. — One pound raw sienna and one and one-half
pounds raw umber, with thinners as for light oak stain. If too <lark,
increase quantity of raw sienna ; if too light, add an ounce or two of
burnt umber.

Rosewood Stain. — To one pound rose pink add one pint good as-
phaltum varnish, one pint best brown japan, one pint boiled oil, and
one quart turpentine. If too dark, add more rose pink ; if too light,
use more asphaltum varnish and more turpentine.

Walnut Stain. — ^To two pounds of burnt umber add one-half gal-
lon boiled oil, one quart of best brown japan and one-half gallon tur-
pentine. Should the umber be very dark, add one-half pound of burnt
sienna, but if black walnut stain is desired, add Vandyke brown in
same proportion.

In preparing stains, break up the oil color first with the japan, add-
ing little by little, then add the oil and finally the turpentine and strain.
Test on new wood, and if too strong, add more thinners, using the pro-
portions given in each case.

739 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED. 137

— 345 —
Paste Wood Fillers.

Paste fillers for hard woods are made from any of the
following materials, or a combination of these: Silex or silica, terra
alba, whiting, china clay, starch, rye flour and sometimes barytes.
Silex or terra alba will, on drying, give the least discoloration to the
wood. The pigment should be of impalpable fineness and intimately
mixed to a stiflF paste with one-third each of pale linseed oil, pale gold
size japan and turpentine. This paste may be either run through a
mill or be given a very thorough mixing, and to test it for quality it
should be thinned with turpentine to the consistency of a varnish, ap-
plied with a varnish brush to open grained wood, preferably oak, al-
lowed to set for about 20 to 30 minutes, and the surplus filler removed
by wiping across the grain in the usual manner. After 24 to 36 hours,
the surface should be lightly sandpapered and a good, flowing coat
of rubbing varnish applied, which, .when fairly well set, should not
show any pitting or pinholes. Should it pit, however, or show pin-
holes or needlepoints, the filler is defective in binding properties and
the portion of japan should be increased with a corresponding decrease
in the proportion of turpentine. The linseed oil and the gold size
japan must be of good body, and if cornstarch or rye flour is used in
connection with silex or silica, the proportions should be about one of
the former to five of the latter by weight.

— 346 —

Glazing Putty or Knifing-in Lead for Car and Carriage Work.

To prepare this properly, you must be sure to use keg
lead, that is, pure white lead in oil, and none of the so-called white
leads. A corroder's brand on the head of the package will give you
the assurance of purity. To prepare 100 pounds of the material,
mix in a suitable tub with a stout paddle (unless you have a powder
mixer) 65 pounds keg lead, 25 pounds dry white lead, one-half gallon
pale coach japan, one-half gallon pale rubbing varnish and one quart
spirits of turpentine, and run through a paint mill until fine. This will
be of the consistency of soft putty and should be applied with a stiff
brush to the parts of the car or carriage, and when it has deadened or
flattened, is to be gone over with the putty knife, with which it is
pressed into the pores of the wood, and the surplus removed. In
other words, it is used as a putty to fill up, and care should be taken
not to have any ridges of surplus glazing putty anywhere on the
work, being especially careful of the moldings around panels or where
irons and wood are joined, because the jar of the vehicle, when in ser-
vice, is liable to shake the putty loose. For cheaper grade of work,
finely bolted whiting may be employed to replace the dry white lead,
but the amount of japan rubbing varnish and turps will have to be
doubled.

138 7S9 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED.

— 347 —

Dustless Floor Polish or Floor Oil.

We do not think that these dustless floor oils are used as
much now as they were several years ago, because of the ruin wrought
on ladies' dresses in stores and public places, where the material was
used on floors. We understand that it is a good dust layer in store-
rooms, warehouses, etc., but that it collects dirt so much that it finally
leaves a- bad crust on floors. The following is considered a good
formula: Equal parts, by measure, of neatsfoot oil, cottonseed oil
and petroleum oil. For the latter, golden machine oil is generally
used, and part of the cottonseed oil may be displaced by lard oil. A
coat of the mixture is applied to the floor with a mop, and will last
from four to five months.

— 348 —
Japanning Tin or Iron.

While we believe that it would be more economical for
you to buy your japanned tin ready prepared from some reliable firm
of japanners, whose name or place of business you may ascertain by
consulting the business directory of any large city, we shall give you
a formula for making japan flow, so-called, with directions how to pro-
duce the various colors.

The transparent flow or liquid is prepared as follows: Put into a
suitable kettle one- pound of gum sandrac, two ounces each balsam
of fir, balsam of tolu and powdered sugar of lead and one pint of well
settled raw linseed oil. Set the kettle over a slow fire, which is gradu-
ally raised until all are melted, stirring in the meanwhile to keep the
material from; becoming burned in bottom of kettle, then take to a safe
distance from fire and allow to cool down somewhat, stir in gradually
one-half gallon spirits of turpentine and strain through fine cloth. For
black, melt good asphaltum, say four ounces and thin with one pint of
turpentine and rub down fine in part of this one ounce of Prussian or
Chinese blue. Mix all and strain, then add to it one quart of the flow.

For blue grind one ounce each of Prussian blue and indigo in tur-
pentine, add enough of the latter until you have used one quart.
Strain well and add enough of this to one quart of the flow until the
color suits your idea.

For red steep one ounce of cochineal in a quart of turpentine, let
stand twenty-four hours, stir and strain. Add enough of this to the
flow until you have the color desired.

For yellow take two ounces of finely pulverized curcuma root and
stir it into a quart of the flow. If color is not strong enough, use
more of the curcuma, let it stand several hours, then strain.

For green mix equal parts of the blue and yellow, and with this
enough of the flow to make color suit.

For orange mix some of the red with the yellow until color is as de-
sired, then add some of the flow as above.

These colored japans are applied with wide, soft brush to tin and
then the tin is baked in a suitable oven, but while the black can stand
a high degree of heat, say 300 deg. F. or more, the other colors should

739 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED. 139

not be subjected to more than 180 deg. F. The tin or iron, of course,
must be clean, free from grease and rust or the japan flow will not
take well.

Japanning is an art in itself, and to do good ,work requires skill and
experience, therefore we should advise you, unless you can afford to
spend money and time on experiments, to procure your tin from
japanners or have them to do the work for you.

— 349 —

Cleaning and Preservation of Oak Parquet Floors.

The cleaning and keeping in condition of oak parquet floors in our
dwellings is known to require much trouble and work. The purpose
of the cleaning is to keep them as long as possible in that condition in
which they were when new. This end is more or less completely at-
tained by the various modes of cleaning. The process still almost uni-
versally pursued is mechanical in its action, the cleaning being ac-
complished by rubbing the dry floor with steel chips. Tnis method,
says the "Centralblatt," is a laborious and slow one, hence it seems of
advantage to make known more generally a hitherto little employed
process, which has quickly crowded out the old method of cleaning
wherever used. No dust is generated in this new process. It is
founded on the remfoval of the dirt by oil of turpentine, and is per-
formed as follows: Dip a perfectly dry wainscot brush in a vessel
filled with oil of turpentine and brush a small surface, about half a
square yard, of the floor diligently and repeatedly with it. This
treatment is succeeded by an immediate washing off of that surface
with hot water, whereupon the cleaned place is wiped off and rubbed
dry with a dry rag or, better still, with oakum. When the floor treate^i
in this manner is perfectly dry, after a few hours, it appears as though
freshly rubbed down. Now wax, as usual, and brush until glossy.
The solution of one part of white wax in two parts of oil of turpentine
has been found excellent for this purpose. The parquet floors
cleaned according to the above method keep like new for a long time,
provided that for the frequent rubbing necessary only clean brushes
and rags are employed. The cost of the oil of turpentine may seem
high, but since' the new method requires much less time than the
rubbing down with steel chips, the extra cost of the material will be
offset by the saving in wages.

— 350 —

Finishing Floors with Wax That Have Been Partly Oiled.

We should remove the floor oil from the floors with ben-
zine, that is, if there is any on the surface ; and melt the paraffine wax
in a water bath, thinning it with turpentine, apply to the floor and
polish with a floor brush. You cannot separate mineral or other oils
of that stamp from linseed oil, but foots in linseed oil can be removed
by allowing the oil to settle for some time and decanting the clear
article.

140 729 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED,

— 351 —

How to Remove Ink Stains from Light Tiling.

The simplest way we know of is to dissolve oxalic acid
in water and rub this solution over the stains by means of a piece of
sponge fastened to the end of a stick, and as soon as the stains have
disappeared, give the tiles copious washing with clear water. When
the stains are not too old, citric acid dissolved in water, or chloride of
lime mixed with water to a soft batter will answer the same pur-
pose, but the tiles must be well washed or rinsed with clear water as
soon as the stains have disappeared.

— 352 —

The Best Finish for a Hard Pine Counter Top.

Liquid wood fillers are used on account of cheapness in place of shellac
varnish for filling soft woods like white pine, etc., but will not produce
good results on hard pine counter tops. Hard oil finish, well made of
good material, is a very good varnish for hard pine on ceilings, wain-
scoting, etc., but is not the best material for counter tops. If a first-
class job is desired on hard pine, we would say that a coat of orange
shellac should be applied next to the bare wood, to be followed by a
first-class coach rubbing varnish and finished with either one coat of
this or a good, elastic coach varnish which could be rubbed and pol-
ished in the usual manner, if so desired, or rubbed down to eggshell
gloss.

— 353 —

Coating Very Old, Hard, Smooth-Plastered Walls.

To fill in cracks in old walls, cut out all the cracks V-
shape, clean out the holes and bevel the edges same as the cracks.
Make a filling of fine plaster of paris mixed with thin glue size, fill the
•cracks carefully and when dry, sandpaper the filling smooth and level
with the wall. Go over all of the wall with sandpaper and knock off
any small lumps that may be there. Wherever you find any loose
plaster, sandpaper down such patches a little below the level of the
wall and brush oflF the loose plaster ; give a coat of glue size and trowel
on a coat of plaster of paris, mixed with glue size, and when dry, sand-
paper smooth and level. Wherever cracks or loose plaster patches
have been filled in, there is usually more suction than there is in the
unbroken portions of the wall ; therefore, in order to have no flat
patches, when the painting is finished, it is necessary to stop such
suction before the first coat is applied by going over such places with
a coat of oil and drier, and when this is dry, with a coat of white lead,
thinned with equal parts japan varnish and turpentine. This is rather
troublesome, but it will pay in the end. To prime the wall, use white
lead, say not over 8 pounds to one gallon raw linseed oil, and add one
pint of turpentine to make it more penetrating, and if your work is to
be hurried, a small portion of liquid drier. In order to make a good
job of three coats of paint on a wall, where most of the surface will
lose gloss on the first coat and where there is suction in spots on the
third coat, you will have to apply a coat of glue size

739 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED. 141

on top of the priming coat. You can make this size by
melting white glue water, but in order to keep it from
souring in hot weather, you should add on cooling, for every
pound of glue used, two ounces of acetic acid, which you can buy of
any druggist. The second coat of paint should be mixed, so as to dry
with fair gloss, with three parts of oil to one part turpentine and drier.
The last coat to be stippled should be mixed stout with equal part*
oil and turpentine and some drier. To do the stippling properh', the
stippler should immediately follow the painters, before the paint has
any chance to s6t, and care must be taken to strike the paint evenly and
steadily. As to the method of sizing plastered ceilings with liquid
wood filler before kalsomining, we see no objection to it, as many
use a so-called suction or ceiling varnish for the purpose, which are no
better or perhaps not as good. Many painters, however, use a wall
size made from white glue, alum and white soap.

— 354 —
The Apparent Perishing of Chinese and Prussian Blue in a White

Lead and Zinc Paint.

A light blue tint was mixed with lead, zinc and Chinese blue and
placed in a tightly-corked bottle. Three lots were mixed, using the
same quantity of blue, but varying proportions of lead and zinc. On
opening the same, three years later, the color was a cream tint, varying
in shade in each bottle. Each of these tints was painted on a strip of
glass and exposed to the sun at noon. By the next morning the or-
iginal color had come back.

It cannot be said that in the case of your tints there was
any alkaline reaction on the Chinese blue, so long as you used pure
white lead and pure zinc, but you may have made use of a drier con-
taining lime. Lime in any form, even whiting, has the effect stated on
Chinese or Prussian blues, and we experienced similar difficulties with
Chinese blue tints some years ago, but have not noticed any similar
occurrence of late, and we attribute the trouble to the use of a drier
containing lead and manganese salts, with lime as a hardener. Only
recently has it dawned upon us that the use for several years of a
strictly oil drier, free from lime, has remedied the defect. As in your
case, Chinese blue tints on standing sealed up several months appeared
on opening to be white, but on exposure to air assumed very nearly
their original light blue color on top, while on being painted out the
apparent white or light cream color soon turned blue. It is a noted
fact that Chinese or Prussian blues cannot be employed safely with
whiting in kalsomining on account of the decomposition brought
about by no matter how small a portion of free lime there may be.
Any alkali, such as soda, potash, ammonia or lime, will decompose it
into a f errocyanide of the alkali and oxide of iron, and therefore these
blues or any pigments containing the same cannot be used with
alkaline bases or vehicles, such as lime, whiting or the silicates of soda
and potash. In your case the Chinese blue was not decomposed, but it
was temporarily obscured or hidden and brought to light again by the
exposure to air and light.

142 7^ PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED.

— 355 —

Chalking of White Lead and Oil Paint in One Year.

A house was painted with pure white lead and linseed oil, slightly
tinted. Six years later it was repainted with two coats of a standard
brand of white lead and a crusher's brand of raw oil, tinted green for
the body and trimmed in plain white. The surface before repainting
was apparently in good condition, but in less than a year the new paint
had chalked badly, rubbing off the surface like so much flour.

Did it occur to you before you started repainting last
summer to examine the surface critically to see how much oil you
should have in your first coat, because of the dried-out old paint that
had stood so well for six years? Perhaps all the oil you gave in your
first coat was required by the old paint and absorbed by that, and the
first coat, being robbed of its oil, in turn absorbed some of the oil that
was needed to give the finishing coat a good hold. You do not state
the kind and proportion of japan or drier used along with the oil, and
this is an important factor. Also last summer and fall was exceed-
ingly dry and hot enough to burn up any paint that carried an excess
of drier and an insufficient quantity of oil. Before you lay the blame
on the lead or the oil, step around to the north side of the premises
and investigate how the paint stood there. If it has not chalked
on that side or on the shaded portions of the house, you can figure
the cause of the perishing out on the above lines, otherwise the lead or
the oil was not as it should have been.

— 356 —

A Good Size for Plastered Walls.

Make two solutions, the first to consist of one and one-
quarter pounds of glue, dissolved in four gallons oi water ; the second
to consist of one ounce of borax, five ounces of washing soda and
twenty ounces of powdered rosin added to five quarts of boiling water,
and to be kept boiling and stirred until all is dissolved. To thirty
parts by m«easure of the first solution add one part of the second and
boil them together for about one-quarter of an hour; take from the
fire and strain; when it is ready for use. You will find this size an
excellent one for the purpose.

— 357 —

Wiped Verdigris Finish in Imitation of Patina.

Use a ground made from about 25 pounds of pure white
lead in oil, 3 pounds medium chrome yellow, 5 pounds Venetian red
with enough burnt umber to make a color resembling dirty copper.
Apply as many coats as are required to give a good surface, making
the last coat so as to dry semi-flat. When dry and hard, apply copper
bronze, dry or wet, as you choose, using a good outside varnish,
thinned with turps, as a medium to hold it. If you do your bronzing
dry, remove the excess of bronze with a wad of cotton ; if wet, you can
go right over it on becoming hard with either of the following : Make
a glaze fromi French distillled verdigris that has been ground fine in

739 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED. 143

varnish and is thinned with turpentine, so as to produce an egg-shell
gloss on drying, or make a stain from raw umber that has been
ground in japan, thinning with equal parts of coach or outside var-
nish and turpentine. Before the glaze or stain has an opportunity to
set hard, take a cloth and wipe out the high lights, thus producing the
effect of antique copper bronze. If there is sufficient ornamentation,
the effect is a very pretty one, especially when verdigris is used. Many
public building fronts are being done in this manner.

— 358 —

Linseed Oil for Outside Painting.

Kettle-boiled linseed oil of good, heavy body will hold its
gloss in paint very much longer than raw linseed oil, and well-
settled raw linseed oil, that has become bodied by age, is better, by
far, than green oil. The durability of linseed oil depends largely upon
its being well settled by age, without being rancid. Our experience
has been that well-settled raw linseed oil is better than boiled oil at
any time, providing very little of a good oil drier only is added.

— 359 —

How to Fill and Finish Redwood.

See that the surface is well planed and smoothly sand-
papered ; add some burnt sienna to a good paste wood filler ; thin the
same with turpentine to the consistency of varnish, and apply it in
the usual mannner; wipe off the surface in from 15 to 20 minutes and
let it stand at least 36 hours; then sandpaper lightly and dust off
carefully. To do a first-class job two coats of good shellac varnish
should be applied, sandpapering each coat with fine sandpaper. Now,
it depends on the price paid for the work as to how many coats of
rubbing varnish it should have. Less than two coats will not answer ;
four coats will give a better surface for polishing. Let each coat be-
come thoroughly hard before applying the next, and when you have
as many coats on as you can afford, rub the suritace with pumice and
water and wash off thoroughly ; let it stand 24 hours ; then rub with
rotten stone and water; wash and clean off as before, and give it
another 24 hours' rest ; then polish with rotten stone and olive oil, and
if you have used a good varnish you will have as good a job as can be
done.

— 360 —

How China Glossing Should Be Done.

The interior of a fine dwelling in a Southern city was finished with
French zinc white and damar varnish. Twenty years later the sur-
face appeared yellow with age, though showing no pronounced checks,
except in places where the light was strong. The owner thought two
coats of zinc white in damar varnish would be sufficient, and the
painter asked for advice.

We should strongly advise you against making a contract
for the work on the owner's proposition before you have thoroughly

144 739 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED.

investigated the condition of the surface. You will find, on close in-
vestigation, fine cracks, not only where the light is strong, but most
likely all over the surface of the old paint. To repaint this without
preparing it would not add to your reputation as a painter, because
the checks would simply show through your paint. To do the job in
a proper manner will require a thorough washing down of the sur*
face and a cutting down of the same in order to get, if possible, under
the checks to the white lead groundwork, which, no doubt, is there
solid and without cracks. If you succeed in doing this you should
then give one coat of white lead, thinned half oil and half turps, with
as little pale drier as possible, and when this coat has thoroughly
hardened one coat of French zinc white, thinned with turpentine only,
so as to dry flat. This coat should be sandpapered and dusted, then
one coat of China gloss white given as a finish. If the owner wants a
first-class job and is willing to pay for it, the coat of China gloss, after
standing four or five days,, can be mossed or haired down with flour
of pumice and water, and a second coat given. If you do not care to
use prepared China gloss white, you can make your own preparation
by thoroughly mixing two pounds French zinc white in damar var-
nish with one gallon clear damar varnish, but we believe it will pay
you best to purchase the material prepared ready for use.

— 361 —
Various Ways of Painting Plastered Walls.

If you wish to paint whitewashed walls or ceilings in oil
or water and make a durable job, soften the whitewash with a wash
made of one pound potash, dissolved in ten quarts of soft water, ap-
plying it repeatedly over the surface with a large sponge, then scrape
off. However, if the whitewash adheres well, you can save yourself
the expense of removing it, and bind it with a glue size, over which
you may put your kalsomine without risk of its coming off and tak-
ing the old whitewash with it.

The glue size must be made from good white sheet glue, one pound,
one pound good white bar soap, two ounces of alum. First soak the
glue over night in enough water to make a jelly, then melt it in a
water bath, adding from one to two quarts boiling water. Dissolve
the alum and soap each separately in a quart of boiling water, and
when all are thoroughly dissolved, mix the glue and soap water ; then
add the alum solution slowly, stirring during the operation. Finally
add one gallon cold water. In order to make it penetrate, it must be
applied warm, or it will not hold the whitewash securely on the wall.
This is for kalsomining or water color painting only ; for oil painting
the whitewash must be removed by all means. In the latter case, ap-
ply a thin coat of white lead priming, say about ten pounds of keg
lead to seven pints raw oil, and one pint turpentine and drier. When
this coat has become hard, give one coat of glue size, which will save
you two coats of paint.

This glue should be made in the usual way from good white glue
to a fair consistency, and when nearly cold, one-half ounce nitric acid
should be added for every pound of glue used, which will keep it

739 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED. 145

liquid and prevent it from spoiling. In place of nitric acid, double the
quantity of acetic acid may be employed.

When the glue size has dried hard, as many coats as are necessary
to cover up uniformly are applied, using white lead in oil thinned with
raw oil and turpentine, finishing in either white lead or zinc, tinted to
suit, flat or in gloss. This applies to newly plastered walls, as well as
to whitewashed wails, and while kitchens, halls, etc., should be in
gloss, we think the walls and ceilings of churches, school houses and
other public halls look far better when painted flat with a faint eggshell
gloss finish. When old painted walls that are very dirty are to be
renovated, dust them carefully, then scrub the same with soap and
water, to which a little ammonia has been added ; then follow with
sponge and clear water, wiping up with dry sponge or cloth. In re-
painting, cracks must be filled in and touched up as described in No.

353-
If you desire to kalsomine whitewashed or newly plastered walls,

prepare the kalsomine or water color as follows: Soak over night

one pound of good white sheet glue in cold water. If there is too

much water, pour it off, then dissolve the glue in the usual water bath.

This will be sufficient for twenty pounds of best gilders' whiting,

which should be mixed with water to a stiff batter, to which is added

one pound of alum, dissolved in hot water. Before the glue is added,

the tinting colors should be added to the whiting, and such colors

should be ground in water, as dry colors will streak. Test the mixture

on a piece of white paper until you have the desired tint or shade.

When you have the proper tint, add the glue and test to see whether
you have enough binder, and if not add more glue, then set aside to
cool. Remember that you must have enough binder so that the first
coat will not rub up when applying the second.

For a clear white job, add a little ultramarine blue; for a blue tint,,
use more ultramarine. Do not use Prussian or Chinese blue, as it is
apt to green off. For a light green tint, use chrome yellow and ultra-
marine blue, and for terra cotta tint, use light Venetian red.

As to bur opinion on the respective merits of oil colors vs. water
color painting of walls, would say that it is a question of first cost,
kalsomining being much the cheaper of the two methods, while oil
color is the more durable. When oil color becomes stained from
leaky roofs, smoke, etc., the surface can be cleaned down and look as-
good as new, while stains in kalsomined walls cannot easily be re-
moved.

— 362 —
Should Gold Leaf Be Varnished?

Genuine gold leaf will not tarnish from exposure to
weather, even salt air, and is better left unprotected by varnish for two
good reasons. First, any varnish, no matter how pale and trans-
parent, will dim the luster of gold; and, second, varnish is sure to
crack in a year or two, giving the gold an appearance of perishing,
while when the gold leaf is left free from varnish, it will remain
bright and lustrous for years.

146 739 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED.

— 363 —

Painting and Finishing Enameled Furniture.

The priming is done with keg lead, which is thinned with
turpentine and very little bleached oil and white japan. On this are
applied two coats of quick-drying flake white, thinned with turps only,
the last coat of which is smoothly sandpapered. Now a coat of white
enamel is given, this enamel to consist of the finest French zinc in a
hard white enamel varnish and allowed to set for three days, when
it is rubbed with pumice and water. After twenty-four hours another
coat of enamel is applied, which after forty-eight to seventy-two hours
is mossed or haired down with flour of pumice and water. If the sur-
face is good and uniform, this is polished with rotten stone and sweet
oil ; if not, another coat of enamel must be given and proceeded with
as before, and finally polished as stated. This will be smooth as a
mirror and hard as bone. In surfacing, each coat of lead or flake
white must be permitted to dry hard before another is applied.

— 364 —
Priming with Yellow Ocher.

We do not consider yellow ocher the best material for priming new
woodwork, because even the best and finest French yellow ocher is at
best a brittle pigment. When the priming may stand several weeks or
months before second coating, we consider a mixture of equal parts
of white lead and finely ground yellow ocher, thinned with pure raw
linseed oil only, an excellent priming, when applied thin and well
brushed in, especially for soft woods, but for yelllow pine and other
hard woods we consider a thin wash of pure white lead and raw lin-
seed oil with a little turpentine the only good priming material, es-
pecially when the work must be hurried along. Coarse ochers are en-
tirely unfit for priming.

— 365 —

To Remove the Old Paint and Varnish from Hobby Horses.

We have had no special experience in that work, but think
that you had best try the torch, if you wish to make any headway. A
lye or soda solution would, no doubt, prove most effective and would
scarcely affect the glued joints very seriously, but it would raise the
grain of the wood in such a manner that you would be unable to pro-
duce good work in repainting. American fusel oil, free from water, is
a first-class remover of varnish, but the work is tedious when there
are heavy coatings to be removed, and the fumes are rather injurious
to the system of the operator. A mixture of two parts by volume of
aqua ammonia and one volume of spirits of turpentine produces an
emulsion that softens paint and varnish and does not raise the grain
of the wood, but its action on old coatings is very slow and tedious.
Try the various methods described here on one or more of the ani-
mals, and you will probably find that the burning off of the paint with
a gasoline torch that is dexterously handled will prove the most rapid
as well as the most economical and cleanest method of all. If you
work quickly, you need have no fear of softening the glue in the joints.

739 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED, 147

Have the necessary sticks and scrapers ready that you need to re-
move the softened paint from the carved portions before you make a
start.

— 366 —

How to Prepare a Filler for Iron Surfaces.

To make an extra good iron filler successfully, has cost
manufacturers years of experimenting and large expenditure of
money. So you may readily see that they do not publish their formu-
las broadcast and they are difficult to obtain. Even when such formu-
las are known, there is something in their manipulation that requires a
little experience and practice. These fillers, beingf sold at a compara-
tively low figure, must be made on a large scale, in order to render a
fair profit. There are many good iron fillers on the market, ^nd we
would advise you to purchase your filler ready made. However, if you
wish to make a good iron filler, regardless of cost, mix three parts by
weight of stiff keg lead, with six parts of Pennsylvania black filller,
three parts bolted whiting, six parts floated silica or silex, with a mix-
ture of three parts by weight of a fair grade of rubbing varnish, two
parts of coach japan and one part spirits of turpentine to a stiff paste,
which fun loosely through a paint mill to mix thoroughly, or, still bet-
ter, grind in a putty chaser. This may be used as a putty or surfacer, '
applied with spatula broad-knife, or it may be thinned with turpentine
and applied with a brush. If not dark enough to suit, add some well
calcined lampblack or bone black, dry. May be smoothly sandpapered
within reasonable time, and will not clog the paper.

— 367 —

Japanning in Black of Pressed Steel Articles, Applying the Dipping

Process.

The main requisite is a drying oven, in which the tempera-
ture can be raised to and held at from 300 deg. to 350 deg. Fahrenheit.
The size of this oven must be commensurate to the number and size
of the articles to be placed therein at one and the same time. For
instance, if it is desired to bake 1,000 pieces of sheet iron or steel plates
of about 6 by 8 inches at one baking, an oven 8 feet in length, 5 feet
wide and 4 feet in height, with the proper arrangement of iron racks
should fill the bill. Ten rods running lengthwise through the oven,
one set near the top and another set one foot below this would be suffi-
cient to hold that number and keep them three-fourths of an inch apart.
The oven to be built of either sheet iron or brick, with several vent
holes on top and either steam or hot-air pipe coils in bottom to be fed
with live steam or hot air.

The next requisite is a dipping vat of suitable size and a run or to-
boggan arrangement, which has balusters on either side, and whose
bottom inclines toward the dipping vat, so as to return the dippings
to the vat. On either side ouside of the balusters is a pathway for the
men, who are doing the dipping to walk up and deposit the dipped
plates, or rather the long stick on. which the plates are suspended on the
balusters. A stick 3 feet long should carry at least 24 of the plates.

148 739 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED.

suspended to the stick by suitable hooks or clasps, and when the plates
have dripped or drained sufficiently and the paint or japan has set, they
should be placed in the drying or baking oven at once, and when the
oven is filled the heat should be turned on immediately and kept on
for three or four hours, even six hours would do no harm.

As to the black baking japan for dipping, unless the firm desiring
to use such material are equipped to manufacture the material, they
had better ask for samples and prices from reputable varnish makers,
stating that they want a thoroughly elastic and durable baking japan
in black, and select the best of those offered. One that will readily
chip or abrase at the least knock the metal receives after baking is not
worthy of consideration.

Japanners often give as many as three, four, five and even six coats
to their work, baking every single coat before applying the next one.
For the work in hand, two coats are certainly sufficient, a ground and
a finishing coat. It may be that one coat will be ample, but that is a
matter to be decided on trial. An essential point is that the metal be
entirely clean and free from rust and grease before dipping.

In preparing black (or any other) baking japans, rosin and benzine
or gasoline must be avoided if the work is to look well and be durable.
For a first coat or ground, the best material is made by melting say
25 pounds Cuban asphaltum, adding 25 pounds hot balsam of copaiva^
stirring well together, taking from the fire to a safe distance and thin-
ning down with spirits of turpentine, previously warmed, to proper
consistency for dipping.

For finishing coat, or when one coat is ample, the very best japan is
made by melting, say, 30 pounds gilsonite and 30 pounds Cuban as-
phaltum, thinning with 80 gallons of hot linseed oil that has been boiled
previously with 12 pounds litharge and 4 pounds manganese oxide, and
when nearly .cool thinned with turpentine to proper consistency for
dipping.

If of too brown a tone, lampblack or drop black ground in turpentine
may be added to give a more jet black luster.

— 368 —
The Drying of French Yellow on Floors.

French yellow is simply yellow or French ochre under
another name, and will remain "sticky" or "cleave off" when put on a
greasy surface that has been cleaned with soap or lye and has not
been rinsed thoroughly. Ocher in oil is not a good thing to paint floors
with, unless it be an unpainted floor in very porous condition or on
very spongy wood. To apply it over old paint or hard wood,
nke yellow pine, by itself is a mistake ; it should be mixed with its own
bulk of white lead, and the mixture should be thinned with a good hard
drying ja^an and turpentine, so as to dry with a good eggshell gloss
only. For interior floors it should be mixed with at least its own
weight of zinc white, and thinned as noted above. The principal fea^
ture, however, is to make the paint as thin as possible and brush it out
to the utmost. It will, when so mixed, cover well enough at any rate.
A first-class floor paint, though somewhat expensive, but .one that

739 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED. 149

wears well, may be made by mixing fine French ocher with wood alco-
hol shellac varnish, Venice turpentine and fusel oil. Two pounds
ocher, seven pints wood alcohol, one-fourth pint Venice turpentine and
three-fourths pint fusel oil is the proper proportions.

— 369 —

Causes for the Creeping of Paint and Their Remedy.

Creeping or crawling of ps^int amounts to the same thing,
and is caused either by a greasy surface or by too high a gloss of the
under coats. When an old surface is to be repainted, as in kitchens,
etc., the walls and woodwork must be cleaned thoroughly with soap-
suds or ammonia and water, well rinsed and allowed to dry thoroughly
before beginning to paint. On the exterior of buildings, it is princi-
pally in the sheltered places that paint creeps or crawls, because there
the gloss of the old paint usually remains, because the elements have
had no opportunity to attack the paint and destroy the gloss. It is
well to add some turpentine to oil paint for use in these places. A trifle
of a weak solution of potash added to the paint will prevent its
crawling.

— 370 —

Simple Method for Staining Cypress and Southern Yellow Pine in

Imitation of Golden, Antique and Red Oak.

As cypress wood is apt to quirl up after having been
smooth planed and sandpapered, water stain is not a good material to
apply, and therefore we would suggest the use of oil and pigment stain,
which will also answer best for the yellow pine, as it is^very pitchy,
and water stains would not penetrate well into it. For golden oak
stain use burnt umber in oil and asphaltum, say one pound of the for-
mer and one pint of the latter, add one-half pint of best brown japan,
and when well beaten together thin with turpentine to the consistency
of a very thin varnish and apply.

When the stain has set, wipe with a cloth to bring out the high
lights. Try it on a strip of the lumber first, and if the effect is not
golden enough add some medium chrome yellow. But you must bear
in mind that golden oak is really white or red oak stained, and that
you cannot obtain an effect quite similar on the woods you mention.

For the antique oak stain use a good raw umber in oil, say one pound,
and two pounds of Vandyke brown in oil, to which you may add, if
required, one-half pound of drop black in oil and one pint of best brown
japan. After beating these well together, thin with turpentine in the
same manner as the golden oak stain and apply, proceeding as above.

To imitate red oak, make a stain from strong Venetian red and add
a trifle of drop black to subdue the glaring redness.

It is self-evident that the colors must be of the utmost degree of
fineness and strength, as yellow pine is rather difficult to stain.

ISO 7^9 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED.

— 371 —

Chipped Glass or Embossed Glass Gilding.

The object of this method of gilding on glass is to have
the gold leaf appear dead flat in some parts of ornaments or parts of
letters, while the other parts are burnished, which gives very pretty
effects. The chipping or embossing is accomplished by either the sand
blast or by the hydrofluoric acid treatment, the former method being
the most rapid, economical and surest one.

To etch or chip glass with hydrofluoric acid, which should be kept
in lead vessels or gutta percha bottles, the glass must be laid down
flat and the design or letters must be cut in with a varnish made of
equal parts of asphaltum and parafiine wax, that are melted together
and somewhat thinned with turpentine. Two or three coats of this
may be necessary in order to cover well, and then a border of soft bees-
wax is run around the edge of glass to keep the acid from running
over and from running under the edges of the protective varnish. Now
the hydrofluoric acid is poured on so that the parts to be eaten are well
covered. Let it remain imtil the etching is deep enough, then pour off
the acid and rinse well with clear water, remove the wax border and
the protective varnish, and when dry go on with the gilding, using
Ihe usual isinglass size for laying the leaf. Sometimes, however, there
may be ragged edges by following this method, because the protec-
tive varnish cannot always be depended upon, as the acid will at
times find its way under the edges, and therefore the sand blast ma-
chine does cleaner work, because here a paper stencil can be employed
that is pasted all over the surface of the glass, allowing the blast to
act only on the cut-over portions.

The sand used on glass should be hard and sharp, and, above all,
free from dust. No coarser sand than that which will go through a
sieve having forty wires to the lineal inch should be used, and sand
passed through sixty-mesh sieves will be none too fine in many cases.

As stated before, the sand blast process produces cleaner work and
with much greater rapidity, but, of course, it does not pay to purchase
a machine unless there is plenty of such work to be done. The man
who has only a job in that line occasionally will have recourse to the
hydrofluoric acid treatment, while those who make a specialty of this
class of work employ the up-to-date improved sand blast machines
that are worked by steam power.

— 372 —

To Keep a Solution of Glue in Liquid Form.

Dissolve your glue as usual, and place it in a glass jar or
earthen dish, and while still warm add to the solution one ounce of
strong nitric acid for every pound of glue used in making the solution.
Stir the acid in slowly and stop stirring when effervescence has ceased,,
allow to cool ,and keep in a tightly closed vessel. To be in the right
condition it must emit a smell as sour as ordinary household vinegar.
For fine work, prepare your liquid glue by filling a wide-mouthed
bottle a little more than half full with good white sheet glue and filling

7S9 PAINT QUESTIONS ^ANSWERED, 151

the bottle with white whisky or equal parts grain alcohol and rain
water. Keep well corked.

— 373 —

Deep Rosewood Stain for Hardwood.

By referring to No. 344 you will find a paragraph headed, "Formula
for Making Oil Wood Stains," in which, among others, you will find
the formula desired.

You may vary this by using a good, genuine ivory drop black,
ground fine in oil in place of the asphaltum, and make up the stain by
using two pounds rose pink in oil and from one half pound to one
pound of ivory drop black in oil, one pint boiled oil, one pint best brown
japan and about one quart of turpentine. It will depend on the skill
of the workman to obtain the right effect in wiping off the surplus stain
on setting.

— 374—

Restoring Blackened Spots in Yellow Pine.

After you have removed the varnish with ammonia, a good
saturated solution of oxalic acid applied repeatedly and rinsed with
clear water thoroughly should restore the wood to a lighter color, but
the black spots should be treated with an application of a solution of
tin in dilute muriatic acid. Dissolve a piece of tin the size of a nickel
in one-half pint of commercial muriatic acid and dilute with a smilar
quantity of water. Apply with a sponge tied to the end of a stick, re-
peatedly, then rinse with clear water and allow to dry; then sandpaper.
If this does not lighten up the spots, then there is no remedy, because
the trouble is too deepseated.

-375 —
Painting of an Iron Stack With. Lampblack and Oil Against

Asphaltum.

An iron stack was painted with two coats of asphaltum, which per-
ished in less than eight months.

The asphaltum black " was probably one of those cheap
nostrums composed of part asphaltum and part coal tar or rosin. A
true asphaltum varnish with a good portion of oil would no doubt
have stood longer. One coat of a lampblack and kettle boiled linseed
oil will last much longer than two coats of cheap asphaltum, but both
lampblack and oil must be first class and the surface must be thor-
oughly scraped and wirebrushed to remove every trace of asphaltum
and rust. We should advise giving the stack two coats of lampblack
and oil.

— 376 —

Quantity of Linseed Oil Required to Grind Various Pigments Into

Paste.

In the following we give the average quantity in pounds of oil re-
quired, when the materials named are bone dry and in finely powdered
state :

152 739 PAINT- QUESTIONS ANSWERED,

Materials. Lbs.) Material. Lbs.

White lead 9|Chinese blue 105

Zinc white 20jUltramarine blue 40

China clay 35jlmit. Cobalt blue 45

Terra alba 26jGenuine cobalt blue 85

Whiting, bolted 23 Chrome yellow, light 25

Blanc fixe 15 Chrome yellow, medium 30

Barytes 8 Chrome yellow, dark 26

French carmine. No. 40 75

Verdigris 5^

Bone black 100

Silica *. 32

Lithopone 13

Yellow ocher 34

American ocher 30

Burnt ocher 32

Raw Ital. sienna no

Burnt Ital. sienna 90

Red oxide 28

Venetian red 26

Indian red 22

Tuscan red 28

Raw Turkey umber 100

Burnt Turkey umber 85

Vandyke brown 115

Bitumen 125

Brown madder 100

Red madder 120

Prussian blue 100

Lampblack 250

Gas black '. 420

Mineral black 90

Drop black 1 25

Vegetable black 150

Mineral brown 2S

Terra verte 80

Viridian 90

C. P. chrome Green, L 30

C. P. chrome green, D 35

Comm'l chrome green, L 18

Comim'l chrome green, D 20

English vermilion 16

American vermilion 18

jEmerald green 37

With the exception of the chrome greens with the prefix Comm'l,
the colors named are chemically pure, and the quantities of oil indi-
cated are such as are actually required in practice and not copied from
text-books.

— 377 —
Painters' Cream.

Painters' cream is a sort of emulsion used by artists to
cover their paintings with temporarily during transportation or when
buildings containing costly or treasured works of art are renovated,
and is made as follows: Gum mastic, 2 ounces, dissolved in 14 ounces
pale nut oil by heat ; add to this one-half ounce by weight of white
sugar of lead, previously ground fine in linseed oil : then add water
slowly and gradually until an emulsion of the consistency of cream i3
formed. This cream can be removed readily with sponge and water.

— 378 —

The Preparation of Crayons for Drawing Upon Paper.

Crayons are usually made up of color and some substance
that will dilute the color to the desired shade. The substance must
have the required softness and tenacity, so as to adhere readily to
paper, when rubbed over it or against it. To form the crayons a
wooden block is used that has half a dozen or more cylindrical holes
of the intended diameter of the crayons bored through it, and these

739 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED. 153

are filled with the crayon mass, and the mass is then pushed out of the
holes by means of well-fitting plugs, the crayons cut into proper lengths
and dried. All the materials used for making crayons must be in im-
palpably fine powder and no gritty substance used under any consid-
eration. The best formula we know of for making crayons is as fol-
lows:

1. Take pipe clay (kaolin) or equal parts of pipe clay and finest pre-
pared chalk and sufllicient color to suit. Make into a paste with pale
ale, not too old or musty, and put into the forms described.

2. Take equal parts of floated pipe clay and finest prepared or floated
chalk, add the required coloring and mix with hot sweet ale, in which
has been dissolved a few small pieces of isinglass to a stiff paste, which
put into the forms.

To color the crayon mass, use the following : For black : Graphite,
ivory black or lampblack. Blue: Prussian blue, ultramarine blue or
indigo. Brown: Burnt Turkey umber or Cassel brown. Green:
Chrome yellow or ocher mixed with Prussian or ultramarine blue.
Purple: Madder lake and ultramarine blue. Red: Vermilion or red
lake. White : Add a tinge of ultramarine blue to the mixture of clay
and chalk. Yellow: Indian yellow or zinc yellow. Crayons for writ-
ing on glass may be made by cutting French chalk into suitable pieces.

— 379 —
Cleaning and Relacquering Brass Chandeliers.

We need hardly dwell upon the well-known fact that the
first essential is and everything depends upon having the brass free
from grease and dirt. Unless you are very careful on this point you
will never be able to obtain good color for this class of work. The
chandeliers should be taken down and taken apart and the parts boiled
in a strong solution of pearlash until apparently clean, then placed
into a vessel containing a solution of one part of aquafortis to four
parts of water, letting them remain in this solution for about one hour,
when they should be washed or scoured in clear water with a brush
until every part is clean. Now make up a solution of equal parts of
nitric and sulphuric acid and add to this about one-third part of nitric
acid in which has been dissolved some zinc in the proportion of one
of zinc to three of acid. When this mixture comes to a boil, dip in the
parts until they acquire the color you want : one-half minute will usu-
ally do it. Rinse the parts well in clear water and dry with sawdust.
Do all this work out of doors on account of the fumes of the nitric
acid. When dry, rub the parts with soft rags and leather, and when
heated sufficiently apply the lacquer. A good lacquer is made as fol-
lows: Bleached shellac, 8 ounces; gamboge, ^ ounce; alos, i^ ounces:
alcohol, I gallon.

Place the ingredients in a well-corked bottle and shake occasion-
ally until dissolved, then strain through cheesecloth.

Lacquer the exposed parts only, and in applying the iacquer use
only the very tip of the brush and do it with a steady hand. Before
lacquering, handle the parts with a piece of clean cloth, and never
handle lacquered work until entirely cold.

154 739 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED.

Remember that the brass must be heated before the lacquer is ap-
plied, but not to such an extent that the lacquer is burned.

— 380 —

Gilding on Glass — Size for Laying the Leaf.

It is best to use the pure gold leaf for gilding on glass;
otherwise gold bronze powder might as well be employed. The isin-
glass size is best for gilding on glass, be the work smooth or em-
bossed. We have never known any quick varnish size to hold gold
leaf on glass for more than one or two seasons, no matter how well
the work was backed up, while pure leaf laid in isinglass size double
we have known to have remained on exposed show windows for ten
to fifteen years. Much, of course, depends oh the backing, and toa
much scrubbing of the signs will destroy the backing in undue time.

— 381 —

Color Combinations for the Walls and Ceilings of Hotel Rooms.

The following suggestions are given for rooms intended as bed-
rooms, therefore you do not want any loud color combinations nor
dark somber colors, but rather soft, delicate tints, and would give you
the following as a suggestion : '

Wall, subdued orange; ceiling, bluish green; picture molding, sil-
ver bronze; woodwork, salmon.

Wall, bluish purple; ceiling, orange tint; picture molding, gold
bronze; woodwork, Tuscan red.

Wall, red purple; ceiling, yellow green; picture molding, gold
bronze; woodwork, Tuscan red.

Wall, grefenish tint; ceiling, light blue tint; picture molding, silver
bronze; woodwork, pea green.

Wall, lavender blue; ceiling, silver green; picture molding, gold
bronze; woodwork, lavender blue.

Wall, carnation red; ceiling, silver green; picture molding, gold
bronze; woodwork, flesh color.

Wall, old gold; ceiling, blue-gray tint; picture molding, silver
bronze; woodwork, cream.

Wall, old ivory; ceiling, light sky blue; picture molding, silver
bronze; woodwork, ivory tint.

Wall, primrose yellow; ceiling, ultramarine tint; picture molding,,
silver bronze; woodwork, white.

Wall, warm pinkish gray: ceiling, green-gray tint; picture molding,,
gold bronze; woodwork, white.

Wall, dove gray; ceiling, light gray tint; picture molding,- gold
bronze; woodwork, light gray.

The combinations named are simply given as an index of what
colors Vould work well together, but you must consider the amount
of light that each room would have and arrange the depths of your
tints accordingly. The furniture of the rooms should also be consid-
ered, "and the paint of the woodwork should be in harmony with that
of the walls, unless the woodwork in all of the rooms is to be alike,,
say cream color, ivory or clear white. Eggshell gloss finish looks bet-
ter than full gloss ; it appears more velvety.

7S9 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED, 155

— 382 —

Colored Transparent Varnish for Coating Incandescent Lamp Globes

in Various Colors.

The quickest method is to employ thin spirit lacquer, which may be
made by dissolving aniline colors in alcohol, filtering the solutions and
adding the same to a solution of gum sandarac in alcohol.

For red, use eosine ; for green, aniline green ; for amber, a mixture
of aniline yellow and Bismarck brown. Less than one ounce of these
dyes will be required for coloring enough lacquer to dip twenty globes.
For preparing sufficient lacquer for the three colors, powder one pound
gum sandarac of the pale variety, place in a stoppered bottle with two
quarts of 95 per cent, spirit, put in a warm place and shake occasion-
ally until the gum is dissolved ; then add one-half pound clear Venice
turpentine and filter. To hasten the solution, the bottle may be placed
in a bath of warm water." Divide the resulting solution into three por-
tions, and add to each the previously prepared alcoholic solutions of
aniline colors until the lacquer is of sufficient strength to suit your
ideas, which you can readily test by dipping a piece of clear glass into
the same. By following this plan you will obviate the use of an oven
to dry your globes after dipping and obtain a more brilliant effect than
by employing copal varnish.

— 383 —
Lining on Water Colors.

The best method of lining on water colors is to use the same size as
for the body color, and draw your lines quickly along the straight
edge, always using camel's hair pencils of the proper width. In order
to get along unhampered, have your pot of color fastened to a belt
around your waist.

— 384 —

Molds for Casting Plaster Ornaments.

The latest and most favored molds for plaster casts are
a combination of glue and glycerine, and the mass is prepared as fol-
lows: In a suitable kettle place five pounds of good glue with five
pounds of soft or rain water, and allow it to stand for twenty-four
hours. Now pour off the superfluous water and place the kettle into
the water bath, i. e., into a larger kettle that contains boiling water
or into a regular apparatus designed for melting glue. When the
glue so treated has become liquid, add to the above quantity three
pounds crude glycerine and twenty-five grammes salicylic acid and
stir the mass well, so as to obtain an intimate mixture. * This done the
liquid must be filtered through fine cheesecloth into a clean vessel and
when the foam has disappeared, the mass may be made into molds,
but the procedure must be necessarily slow in order to prevent foam-
ing and thereby avoid defects. The mold can be taken off only when
it has cooled thoroughly and become hard to the touch. In taking off
the mold, it is cut into suitable sections with a sharp knife, which
are, when casting, set together again and held with cords or wire. As

156 739 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED.

«oon as these molds have become cold they must be coated with tal-
•cum first and then be given two or three coats of copal varnish, slightly
thinned with turps. This treatment makes the mold water repellant,
as well as proof against the possible damage that might result from the
casting of the plaster, respectively the heating up of the same during
the hardening of the cast.

— 385 —
Creosote Shingle Stains.

Although but one manufacturer can use the word "creo-
sote" in connection with shingle stains, as he has the name protected
by letters patent, this, however, will not prevent others from making
a stain with creosote as the vehicle, under another name.

The preparation of such stain is very simple, and requires but little
experimenting, but some knowledge in the selection of pigments is
necessary. Aniline colors, of course, would Iceep in suspension best,
but are undesirable, because of their fading tendency on exposure,
while the fast coal tar colors are most too expensive. Therefore the
best plan is to select oil colors of the greatest strength and firmness,
break them up to a thin paste with boiled linseed oil and sufficient oil
drier to impart drying property and thin out with creosote oil to the
consistency of milk. For instance, to make a reddish-brown shingle
stain take one pound of Venetian red, medium shade, break it up with
a gill of oil drier or liquid drier, free from rosin or other gum, and a gill
of boiled linseed oil, and add to this enough creosote oil to make one gal-
lon of stain. If not strong enough, use a greater portion of Venetian
red or use a stronger red oxide. The same method may be followed to
obtain the various colors or effects, but in order to keep the pigment
from becoming solid by the stain standing in the package for some
time useless base material must be avoided, and only colors of the
greatest tinting strength and fineness selected. Pigments or colors
containing admixtures of barytes, silica, clay, etc., will not answer in
such stains, nor will ultramarine or imitation of cobalt blue hold up
sufficiently. Lampblack, Prussian blue, sienna, raw and burnt ; umber,
raw and burnt ; red oxide, a high grade of mineral brown and yellow
ccher are best suited for coloring matter, and where white is required
along with color for certain tints it is best to employ zinc white.

In cases where the water from shingle roofs is not collected for
drinking purposes, chroixie yellows and chrome greens may be em-
ployed in the stains. If desirable to cheapen the stain, a portion of the
creosote oil may be replaced with benzine (petroleum naphtha) or
with kerosene.

— 386 —

What Is Water Lime and What Is Its Value in Paint?

The following formula was found in an old book on painting for
making outside paint: One part in bulk of water lime ground fine
and two parts in bulk of white lead in oil, thoroughly mixed.

The author of the book in question used the term water
lime to describe water slaked lime, to distinguish it from air slaked
lime. When caustic lime has been thoroughly slaked with an excess

7S9 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED. 157

• s

of water and allowed to stand for a few days and the clear surplus- ^
water drawn off, you have the material he refers to. This material,
when ground fine in a mill, will present a pulp not unlike ordinary
whiting that has been mixed with pure white lead that has been ground
in oil, but in order to mix well the white lead should be first reduced
to a consistency similar to that of the water lime with oil, and when
both are thoroughly mixed by stirring the resulting paint must be re-
duced to the right consistency for application with linseed oil and the
necessary driers. While we do not recommend such dilution of good
material, we do not hesitate to say that for rough work a paint made
on such basis is a better paint than one that is loaded down with other
make-weight materials or made up with impure oils.

— 387 —

Does an Excess of Turpentine in Oil Paint for Exterior Use Cause the

White Lead to Blacken More Rapidly?

While an excess of turpentine has no effect whatever on
white lead directly, it is self-evident that as turpentine has no bind-
ing properties it will tend to shorten the life of outside paint in pro-
portion to its use in the composition of such paint. When outside
paint has lost its gloss, it means the beginning of the disintegration
or perishing of the paint, and when white paint begins to powder or
chalk, it usually turns gray, which is termed ''blackening."

It stands to reason, then, that when the paint has been made with
pure linseed oil of good body and little drier only, it will hold its gloss
and color much longer than it would if the body of the oil had been
cut out by the addition of spirits of turpentine.

— 388 —

Is the Use of Oxalic Acid Solution as a Stain Remover Injurious to

Subsequent Coats of Paint qr Varnish?

The top of a stand had been scraped and sandpapered and after
some black spots or stains on it had been treated with oxalic acid to
bleach them, washed with water, and then dry sandpapered, filled and
varnished, yet when the varnish was lightly rubbed, it shoved oflF from
these spots.

We have never known subsequent coats of stain, filler
or varnish to be injured or kept from drying properly on spots where
oxalic acid solutions have been used, even when the wood was not
rinsed with clean water after treating with the solution, provided
that enough time was allowed for the surface to dry out thoroughly,
and we Are inclined to believe that the blackened spots were rather
spongy and did not dry sufficiently before the filler and varnish were
applied, and that the sealed up moisture caused your varnish to rub
off, because it failed to obtain a proper hold on the spots in question.

— 389 —

Cheap Blackboard Slating for Plastered Walls.

The cheapest way to ntake a blackboard on a plastered
wall is to smooth sandpaper the surface first, then give a coat of lamp-
black ground in oil, thinned with boiled oil and liquid drier; when^

158 729 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED.

dry give a second coat of lampblack in oil, thinned with equal parts
boiled ofPand turpentine, to which some drier is added. When this
is thoroughly dry, give a coat of drop black in japan, thinned with tur-
pentine only in order to make a dead flat surface. In order to have
this last coat bind properly, a tablespoonful of coach varnish should
be added to one pint of the thinned paint, which should be applied
quickly and evenly with a good, wide, flat varnish brush, so that no
hips are visible.

Another cheap paint for renewing old blackboards may be made by
mixing silicate of soda with its own bulk of soft water and adding to
this enough lampblack that has been ground in water to colcr this
solution. ^

The blackboard to be renewed must, however, be thoroughl)^
cleansed before applying the paint.

— 390 —

White or Obscuring Acid for Glass Embossing.

A mixture of one-third fluoric acid and two-thirds liquid ammonia.
Must be kept in leaden or gutta percha bottles.

— 391 —
Silvering Glass Without Heat.

There are a dozen methods for silvering glass, which have
been at various periods described in scientific journals, but we
shall here describe a few only, which strike us as being simplest of
execution and most promising of success in the hands of the beginner.
We will preface the description of the process by the remark that
in each case a shallow pan or dish, but little larger than the plate of
glass itself, is required for holding the silvering solution, and at least
one-half inch deep, with a» perfectly level bottom. The most ordinary
method is as follows : First, making reducing solution A by first dis-
solving and then boiling 12 grains Rochelle salts in 12 ounces of dis-
tilled water. While this is boiling, add 16 grains nitrate of silver
dissolved in i ounce water and boil ten minutes longer, take from fire
or flame and add enough cold water to make 12 ounces in all. Next
make silvering solution B by dissolving i ounce nitrate of silver in
10 ounces distilled water, add slowly liquid ammonia until the brown
precipitate is nearly, but not quite, all dissolved, then add i ounce 95
per cent, alcohol and sufficient water to make 12 ounces in all. Take
equal parts by weight of solution A and B, mix them thoroughly and
cover the bottom of the silvering dish with the same, and lay the
glass, which has previously been cleaned with soda solution and rinsed
with clear water, while still wet, face down into the mixture; let it
remain in the dish or pan for about twenty minutes or thereabouts,
rocking it gently near an open window, then take out glass and stand
it on edge to drain. The solutions should stand a few days before
being used to allow them to settle, and distilled water should be used
in making them. One dram each of the solutions will be required
for each square inch of surface. Another process is Draper's method,
which is described in the following:

729 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED. 159

Dissolve separately yyo grains Rochelle salts in three ounces dis-
tilled water and 800 grains nitrate of silver, also in 3 ounces of water.
Add of the silver solution to i ounce strong liquid ammonia until
brown oxide of silver remains undissolved. Then add alternately
ammonia and silver solution carefully until the nitrate of silver is ex-
hausted, when a very little of the brown precipitate should remain,
and filter. Just before using add the Rochelle salt solution and dilute
the mixture with distilled water to make 22 ounces in all. Clean the
glass or mirror with nitric acid or plain collodion and tissue paper.
Coat a tin pan of suitable size with beeswax and rosin, equal parts,
melted together. Fasten a stick one-eighth of an inch in thickness
across bottom of pan and pour in the solution. Put the glass in quickly
face downward, one edge first ; carry pan to open window and rock the
glass slowly for half an hour. Bright objects should now be scarcely
visible through the film. Take out the mirror and set on edge on blot-
ting paper to dry,' and when thoroughly dry lay it face up on a dusted
table. Stuff a piece of thin, soft buckskin with cotton loosely and go
over the whole surface with this rubber in circular strokes. Put some
fine rouge on a piece of buckskin and impregnate the rubber with it,
polishing the silver in small circles, going gradually over the whole
surface. After one hour of continued rubbing the surface will be pol-
ished perfectly opaque and, with care, free from scratches. It is best,
before silvering, to heat the solution and the glass in water of 100
deg. F. .

— 392 —

To Keep Shellac Varnish from Gumming Up Under Application.

Probably the best remedy would be to thin the shellac
varnish with sufficient alcohol to make it flow and work more freely,
but that will entail a loss of body, which is not always desirable.

If you add to one gallon of shellac varnish one pound Venice tur-
pentine or Canada balsam, and sufficient alcohol, you will find that
it will flow more freely, though it will harden more slowly.

— 393 —

Sign Painters' Measurements and Prices.

Sign painters, in making prices, charge so much per lineal
foot for all glass, muslin, oilcloth and board signs, considering the
height of the letter and style of letter, as well as color, adding 25 per
cent, for shading. Lettering in gold is always 50 per cent, more than
plain lettering. ' Wall signs are measured by the square foot, and ja-
panned tin signs by their size. *

— 394 —

Glaziers' Putty that Will Not Crumble Nor Give Trouble in Re-
glazing.

Although there are still some pure linseed oil and whit-
ing putties on the market, you have evidently had none of them. Most
putty is made from a mixture of whiting and marble dust, or marble

i6o 739 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED.

dust and putty oil alone, and you may imagine what putty oil is. The
latter is a substitute for linseed oil to be used in making putty and
may be recognized by the grease it leaves on top of the putty after
glazing. The compounds made of marble dust may be identified by
the shortness of the article and its lack of elasticity in working under
the knife. The presence of putty oil (mineral oil, etc.) can be detected
by the odor, when a small portion of the putty has been rubbed briskly
between the hands. If you cannot obtain pure linseed oil and whit-
ing putty under a guarantee, prepare it yourself as follows:

Have some fine bolted American Paris or bolted gilders' whiting on a
strong benc^, mixed with raw linseed oil and knead it into a stiff dough.
Add all the whiting you are able to get into it and pound it with a
club or mallet for some time, until it is thoroughly kneaded. Lay it
aside in a warm place exposed to the air of the room for three or four
days to sweat; then put back on the bench, knead and pound again,
until it is good and pliable. If too soft add more whiting, but no more
oil. The kneading, pounding and subsequent sweating is the most im-
l)ortant feature in producing good putty. The usual orooortions are
85 pounds whiting to 2 gallons of linseed oil.

— 395 —
An Experience of Paint Flaking from a Priming Composed of

Remnants.

A painter in Denver, Col., wanted to know why a certain brand ot
paint that had stood well on some operations, flaked on certain exposed
parts of a large dwellling, leaving the priming intact. His priming he
always makes from the remnants of other jobs.'

So long as your paint and oil have stood well on other
operations, we may say that in your climate the material may be an
excellent one, although a combination paint, and while it might have
a tendency to flake under ordinary conditions in a hotter climate, we
do not think it the fault of the surface coats, but would ascribe the
trouble to the composition of your priming. Without entering into
the nature of your priming material particularly, we would say that
it is a failing with many painters to think that anything is good
enough for priming new wood. We beg to differ with them in be-
lieving that priming is the very foundation in painting, especially ex-
terior wooden surfaces, and that nothing is so good as strictly pure
white lead and raw linseed oil for that purpose. From the brand of
paint you are using we can judge as to the pigment contained in the
remnants of other jobs which, you state, you use for priming. Zinc
white and barytes are not good pigments for a priming paint, nor are
fatty oils and japan good vehicles for the same. And oil in remnants
of paint that stand around for some time will become fatty, especially
in the presence of lead salts that are contained in driers. Fatty oil
in paint will sweat and come to the surface, and we rather think such
action has been instrumental in throwing off the surface coats from
the priming.

739 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED. i6i

— 396 —

Size for Rough Plastered Walls to Be Papered.

Liquid glue is the best size for rough walls, when they
are hard. Apply the glue size and let it dry hard ; then knock off the
sandy grains with sandpaper and fill rough places with plaster of
paris putty. Sandy walls should be leveled with a thin coat of kalso-
mine, and, this being dry, a thin coat of glue size should be given. Let
the glue size become hard, then put on the paper with light paste, and
be careful to brush or pound down the paper carefully, as rollers will
not work on rough walls. To make a first-class job, lining paper
should be applied to rough walls, and we presume that you have ex-
perience in that line.

Liquid glue is made by soaking good, white glue in water over
night, then melting it in the usual way and have it of good consistency.
Put it, on cooling, into a wooden vessel and stir into the mass nitric
water to desired consistency.

— 397 —

What Caused Paint from the Same Package to Vary in Shade on the

Body of a House and Its Annex?

A large square dwelling, with a kitchen annex was painted two
coats Colonial yellow with light olive trimmings. The sides of the
house were weatherboarded, while the kitchen was sheathed with ver-
tical boards ten inches wide, the joints being covered with four-inch
batten strips. When the work was finished the kitchen annex ap-
peared three shades brighter than the body of the house, and there
was no contrast between body and trimming color.

You neglected to mention whether you painted the kitchen
body in one color, or whether you did not paint the four-inch
strips with the trimming color. Frbm what you give as the result we
assume that you painted strips and all with the Colonial yellow. The
kitchen, having no trimming, will appear lighter, because there is^
nothing to subdue the bright yellow, as is the case with the house.
The selection of light olive as a trimming for the yollow is what causes
the eflfect you describe, as olive harmonizes with yellow, but does not
make a contrast. When yellow is trimmed with olive the two tints
or colors appear altered — the yellow appears deeper, the olive lighter.

This and the crosswise running of the grain of the timber strikes us
as the cause of the varying result.

— 398 —

Bleaching Darkened Wood With Chloride of Lime and Soda Solution.

A painter who had tried the formula given in No. 374 found it turned
the wood dark and wanted to know the trouble and a remedy for it.

Did you read the formula given in the October issue
correctly and follow the directions carefully? If so, the whole surface
should not have become dark, even if the black spots did not yield
to the treatment. The oxalic acid solution should have restored the
color of the balance of the surface, even if some of the muriatic acid
and tin solution, being too strong, darkened it. We are afraid that

i62 739 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED,

your yellow pine wainscoting is very sappy, and that it is the sap
which is the real cause of discoloration. Make a solution of ly^ ounces
chloride of lime and 2 ounces soda crystals (sal soda) in loj ounces
of water, and keep the surface saturated with this for at least fifteen
minutes. When the wood is light enough, wash off the chlorine with
dilute sulphuric acid, very weak — say one-half pint acid to one quart
water — then rinse with clear water.

— 399 —

How Stove Blacking May Be Prepared.

Commercial stove blacking paste is usually made by grinding
graphite in water through a mill to impalpable fineness. The
paste is placed in forms and dried by heat. In using it is mixed with
water, applied wet, permitted to dry and brought to a polish with
brush or cloth.

A better grade of stove polish is made by mixing finest pulverized
graphite with its own weight of spirits of turpentine and adding for
every pound of graphite used one ounce of water and one ounce of
brown sugar. This is pressed into forms and allowed to dry.

Liquid stove polish is made by mixing one part, by weight, of finely
powdered bone black and one part, by weight, of pulverized graphite
with two parts, by weight, of pulverized copperas, to which enouij^h
water is added to form a creamy paste.

— 400 —

To Clean Off Smoke from Plaster Paris Ornaments.

The simplest method is to make warm soapsuds, to which
a little ammonia is added, say one tablespoonful of household am-
monia to a quart of the suds, and apply to the ornaments with a soft
brush. When clean and white, rinse thoroughly in clear water. If
this treatment is not effective enough, make milk of lime (a little air
slaked lime in water, which has the color of milk) and immerse the
ornaments or figures in this for some time; then wash with clean water
and, when dry, dust on some fine French chalk with a painter's duster
or blender.

Benzol and spirits of turpentine are also highly recommended for
cleaning plaster ornaments, but we should prefer to use the soapsuds
to any other treatment.

— 401 —

How to Obtain a Rich Wine Color Effect in Refinishing Old Furniture.

In refinishing furniture the most economical method is
to sandpaper down to below the old varnish, until a good surface is
obtained, even if it is rubbed through to the wood in certain places.
Such spots must be touched up with the proper stain, but, of course,
water stain cannot be of service here. Use a quick drying oil stain,
made from rose pink in oil, drier and turps, or, if price will permit,
use rose madder. With this stain touch up the bare spots first, then
go over the whole surface with the stain. When this is dry, give at
least one coat shellac varnish, which sandpaper lightly, then apply

729 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED. • 163

two coats of cabinet rubbing varnish, which rub down with pumice
and oil and polish with rotten stone and sweet oil. If this method is
too expensive and tedious, omit the oil stain and shellac, and in its
place apply, after touching up bare spots, one coat of color and varnish
made by mixing enough rose pink in japan with furniture rubbing
varnish to give desired effect, and on this give a coat of finishing var-
nish, which you can moss down and polish in the usual way.

— 402 —

Removing Paint Spots and Stains from Stone and Cement Pavements.

Make two solutions as follows :

1. Place one-half pound of lime in a suitable vessel and slake the
sanve with as little water as is required ; then add one-half pound of
caustic soda (98 per cent.) and one quart of water. Stir a while and let
stand to cool.

2. In another vessel slake one pound of quicklime with as little water
as is necessary to make it fall into a powder, then add one quart water.
Cover the vessel and let stand to cool down.

When the heat is well off, strain both solutions through a paint
strainer; then mix the two. stirring well.

Now, boil one-half pound wheat flour in one quart of water to a
thick paste, but have no lumps in the same.

While still hot, under constant stirring, in order to prevent lumping,
slowly pour the combined solutions, No. i and No. 2, into' the paste,
and when cool you will have a medium stiff paste, which will, when
applied to the thickness of one-sixteenth of an inch, remove any oil
or varnish paint in from thirty to forty-five minutes. from wood, iron,
cement or stone. When the paint is removed, the surface should be
immediately washed with strong vinegar or acetic acid to destroy
any caustic matter. If the wood is somewhat discolored, it may be
bleached with a strong solution of oxalic acid in water. Great care
must be taken in preparing the material to prevent it from coming
in contact with face and hands. Should be applied with trowels, or
fiber brushes, or cotton waste swabs, as it will destroy bristle brushes
in short order.

— 403 —

Venetian Red in Oil Turning Dark on Being Exposed for a Short

Time.

Venetian red is an oxide of iron, more or less diluted by
a natural gangue. Gangue is the native earth, silicate of alumina,
lime, manganese, sometimes magnesia or anything in that line that
is associated in nature with the red oxide of iron. Venetian red may
be a native red or it may be made artificially from copperas (sulphate
of iron) with oyster shell lime or limestone in a furnace and may range
anywhere from containing 10 per cent, to 60 per cent, of ferric oxide ;
but in order to prove permanent in color, it must not contain any free
sulphuric acid or any free sulphate of iron.

You speak of English Venetian red as against domestic Venetian
red, which is quoted as being equal to the former, and we would sayj

i64 7S9 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED,

that there are domestic reds which equal or even excel these, but it is
for you and your fellows to determine the difference. The imported
Venetian reds vary as well as the domestic brands, and once in a while
either of them will give very bad results. Very much depends upon
how these reds are mixed, and under what conditions they are applied.
In a damp locality, where there is little or no sunlight, they soon turn
dark and tend to blackening. This is usually called mildewing, but
the same mixture applied where there is light and air stands well.
Then there is a great deal in the way of mixing, grinding, and eventual
thinning. Oxide of iron paints are prone to discolor the oil by giving
off to the latter some of their oxygen, turning the oil dark on long
standing. Another bad feature of Venetian reds is, if they contain
more than a small portion — say, over five per cent, of carbonate of
lime — ^they are very easily affected by sulphur gases, which attack the
paint, first the oil and later the pigment. If you have the dry material
from which the paints you mention are made, test the same by pour-
ing hydrochloric acid over it, and if there is no effervescence there is
no carbonate of lime present. In such case, take some of the material,
put into a beaker glass and fill the glass with distilled water; stir well
and let the pigment subside. Then insert litmus paper, and by this test
ascertain whether there is any sulphate of iron present; the presence
of lime will be demonstrated by the hydrochloric acid test.

Railroad chemists, as a rule, confine the percentajge of carbonate of
lime permissible in an oxide of iron red to less than lo per cent, and
for good reasons. Carbonate of lime, in paint, will be affected by sul-
phur gases as soon as the oil loses its hold and is turned into sulphate
of lime, and because of the molecular change the paint loses its hold
on the surface and powders off. The same action is the cause of the
darkening of mineral or Venetian red in the presence of too much
carbonate of lime.

— 404 —
Exterior Painted Work Spotted After a Severe Rain Storm in Winter.

Several jobs painted in the summer, some with pure lead and oil and
others with different makes of high grade prepared paints spotted
badly after severe rain storms in the following December,
contain a goodly portion of turps and driers.

We always believe in a case of this kind that the best
policy is to wait until the storm has subsided, and the painted surface
given an opportunity to dry out again ; then to examine the same thor-
oughly from every point of view on all sides. A bottle of a mixture of
three-fourths of bodied boiled linseed oil and one-fourth turpentine and
a small piece of sponge or flannel cloth will do good service. First
wipe off with a cloth and a little benzine or turpentine the dust, dirt
or soot that has settled on the surface ; then take your sponge or flan-
nel, saturated with the mixture in the bottle, and rub briskly over the
spotted surface, and if this does not make the spots disappear and reno-
vate the paint then the paint has perished wherever the spots appear.
Linseed oil paint, at best, is rather porous, that is not proof against
the infiltration of water, and when the hot summer and fall months
have had full sway upon it it is hardly able to withstand the ravages

739 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED. 165

of a winter storm, especially in spots where the sap has been pulled
out by the hot sun; more so, when paints have been employed that
contain a goodly portion of turps and driers.

— 405 —

Cause of the Curdling of Japan Colors When Raw Oil Is Added.

The fault may be in the japan in which the colors are
ground in some instances, but not in all cases. There is not a single
japan color that will mix well with raw oil, unless the color is first
thinned with turpentine to the consistency of thick cream, and even
here, if the pigment is of great bulk, like lampblack, drop black or
lakes, there is a decided tendencv to curdle. We would attribute this
partly to the great proportion of japan or varnish required in grinding
those bulky pigments and the consequently greater resistance to mix-
ing with oil and partly to the presence of moisture in raw linseed oil.
A strong boiled oil or fatty varnish, it will be noted, mixes very readily
with such colors and many letterers or stripers use slow drying coach
varnish to make their lettering or striping colors flow freely from
pencil or brush.

— 406-^

How to Stain and Finish Flemish Oak.

Flemish oak is a nearly black effect, without either the
brownish or bluish tinge, therefore the stain must produce a greenish
black tone. A strong decoction of green walnut shells applied repeat-
edly will best bring the desired effect. If not deep enough, a solution
made by dissolving sulphate of iron (green copperas) in water or by
steeping iron filings in vinegar for a few days is applied over the walr
nut shell decoction until the proper depth of color is secured. Such
stains penetrate more deeply, do not hide the grain and produce tlie
aged appearance, which oil or pigment water stains will not give. Ar-
ticles of small size may be most effectively stained or aged by placing
the pieces in an air-tight chest with a shallow dish full of liquid am-
monia, but it requires more attention and time.

After the wood has assumed the desired color allow it to dry in the
air, and color some good paste-wood filler with raw umber and drop
black; thin the same with turps to the consistency of varnish, and
apply with a varnish brush of appropriate size. When set, wipe off the
surplus filler with cotton waste, excelsior shavings or flax tow across
the grain and allow the filler to harden ; then sandpaper and dust off.
Now proceed as you would in finishing any other style of oak, accord-
ing to the price obtained for the work, or as per specifications.

It is always desirable in finishing Flemish oak to give at least one
coat of orange shellac varnish to seal up the filler before applying the
varnish, and it Would be a waste of money and time to apply two coats
of white shellac varnish, which would certainly be required, as the
white shellac is not as good a sealer. The shellac coating should be
rubbed down with No. o sandpaper, but care must be taken not to rub
through the coat. When this sandpapering is done, the work is ready
to be varnished in any manner desired.

i66 739 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED.

— 407 —

Softening and Utilizing Paint Skins.

When the skins are very old, dried up and hard like stone,
it is cheapest to throw them on some dump, but when they are merely
tough and appear dry without being like so much hardened cement,
they may be cut up with a chopper, placed in a kettle over a fire, with a
small quantity of oil and boiled at low heat, while continually stir-
ring, so that they will not scorch on the sides. When the lumps are
well broken up and soft, add more oil and boil further; then take kettle
from fire and put the material, while still hot, through a paint strainer.
If not fine enough, run through a paint mill, then thin with oil and
turps to proper consistency for application, adding, if required, a small
portion of driers. This makes a very elastic and durable paint for
roofs, fences, etc., but it is not safe to use for priming new wood work.
If the skins are fairly soft, they may be dissolved in a solution of one
pound of sal soda in four gallons of water, which will require from six
days to two weeks, if stirred occasionally, and finally put through a
paint strainer, after pouring off the water. Paint so made can be util-
ized for rough work, such as painting barns, fences, etc., only, and is
unfit for priming new work.

— 408 —

Graining Woodwork in Imitation of Mahogany.

Make your ground color of two parts of orange chrome
yellow in oil and one part bright Tuscan red in oil, and thin with turps
and a little drier so as to dry with eggshell gloss only. Apply two
coats for new work, so that the wood is well covered. For the graining
color use a rich burnt sienna and a little Vandyke brown, both ground
in ale .or beer for distemper graining, and if the effect is not rich
enough add a trifle of madder-lake, also ground fine in the same ve-
hicle. Thin the color for spreading with stale ale or beer, and before
applying it saturate a sponge with the same liquid and dampen the
ground all over. If two coats of ground do not cover up solidly, give
a third coat, but in that case let this coat dry out with more than egg-
shell luster. The tools required are a sponge or cloth or a piece of
buckskin for wiping out the lights ; an ordinary paint brush to put on
the color, a blaze stick to make the bright blazes in the center of the
branch. This may be made from a piece of wood shaved down thin,
or a paper card, three inches long, one inch wide and very thin. A
blender to soften the work, and a top grainer to put in the dark grain.
Spread on the color with the brush, after dampening the ground work,
and blend crosswise. Wipe out the lighter parts with sponge or cloth,
then blend again, until softened, and put in the blazes through the
center with the blaze stick. Now blend down the crude roughness of
this lengthwise ; when dry, rub off the rough particles with a soft cloth
and give a coat of thin varnish, a quick rubbing varnish being best.

Next a. glaze, made by adding a trifle of asphaltum to the graining
color and reducing it to a very thin consistency with ale or beer, is
rubbed out well over the whole surface, and blended crosswise, then

729 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED. 167

stippled with the blunder. When dry, the dark top grain is put on.
To finish, a coat of hard drying coach varnish is flowed on with a thick
badger brush.

The style of grain varies, and it is best for the beginner to study the
grain in the natural wood and imitate this as closely as possible. In
panel work, crotching generally is resorted to; the cutter is used to
take out the lights and the fine lines put in with the overgrainer, used
almost in its normal condition without being broken up into teeth, the
lines running in a wavy pattern across the panel, like the inverted
letter V.

— 409 —

How Golden Oak Paste Filler Can Be Made.

• »

The effect in oak finishing, known as "golden," is not pro-
duced by the filler alone ; in fact, the filler has very little to do with
the result. The wood must be stained before it is filled, and of course,
the filler must be so colored or stained as not to mar or dull the effect.
A mixture of gold size japan and genuine asphaltum varnish in about
equal parts, thinned with turpentine, makes a good stain that will not
raise the grain of the wood, dries quickly and hard, and if wiped out
properly, gives under varnish a rich effect, termed "golden," for want
of another appropriate name.

To make a filler, mix one-third each of raw linseed oil, japan gold
size and turpentine, and put into this mixture enough finely powdered
silica or silex to make a stiff paste, and color this with burnt umber in
oil, Vandyke brown in oil and a trifle of drop black to suit, being mind-
ful that in golden oak only the high lights are yellowish brown, while
the filled grain is decidedly dark. The mixture should be run through
a handmill. The best plan for you is to buy your golden oak paste
filler, or at least buy the light paste filler and color it to suit your taste ;
for you cannot buy the raw material as cheap as th^ manufacturer, and
making it in a small way will cost you more in the long run.

— 410 —

Refinishing Yellow Pine in the Natural Efiect or with a Transparent

Stain.

One coat of liquid filler and two coats of varnish were used on yel-
low pine ; but the work scaled in some places and powdered in others,
while some places remained hard and intact. A method of doing the
work over to obtain a uniform effect was desired.

Liquid fillers are not made for such woods as yellow or
Southern pine, and cannot withstand the sappy or resinous character
of this wood. Shellac varnish is the only substance that should go
next to it. The only remedy in this case is to take off all the varnish
and filler clean down to the wood. Two parts of strong liquid ammonia
and one part of turpentine applied with a sponge to soften varnish and
filler and the use of a sharp scraper will remove the objectionable
coating, and, this accomplished,, the surface should be washed down
with clear spirits of turpentine or with vinegar and allowed to dry.
Then if there are discolorations in the wood, a coat of orange shellac

i68 739 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED.

varnish to which an alcoholic solution of turmeric and dragon's blood
has been added, should be given, before any varnish or hard oil finish
is applied. To make the coloring solution, put one ounce of turmeric
powder into one pint alcohol, digest four days, shaking occasionally
and strain for use. Also put one ounce dragon's blood into one pint
of alcohol and dissolve like the other. Color the shellac first with the
turmeric and alcoholic solution and add enough of the dragon's blood
and alcoholic solution to give the proper depth; Try it first on a small
scale to find out the proper proportions. This will save one cx)at of
stain and will not obscure the grain of the wood. On top of this a
coat or two of good hard oil finish will give a lasting and durable re-
sult, unless the work is exposed, when spar varnish should be em-
ployed in place of hard oil finish.

— 411 —

Finishing Whitewood and Birch in the Natural with a Wax Polish.

The specifications called for the hall, dining room and bath room of a
dwelling to be finished natural, using a certain brand of wax polish.
The hall was whitewood, the other rooms birch veneering. The mak-
ers of the wax polish said to use one coat of a certain preparation to en-
liven the wood, one coat white shellac varnish and one coat of wax,
rubbed on and polished. The painter, on trial, found this required an
extraordinary amount of labor, yet did not make a satisfactory job.
He thought the best method of finishing to produce the desired effect
would be to give two coats of shellac varnish and one coat of rubbing
varnish, rubbing the latter with pumice and oil and polishing with rot-
ten stone and oil, and asked for advice.

As a matter of fact, we believe, as you do, that a wax polish is not
the proper thing to put on the woodwork of a bathroom, as it is too
easily marred and does not stand contact with water, and, for that
matter, does not suit well for the other room or the hall either. At any
rate, one coat of shellac over an enlivener, and one coat of wax over
this does not make a good finish. A first-class finish can only be ob-
tained when the varnish has been rubbed, then polished with rotten
stone and oil or water, and then lightly waxed. We would suggest
that you give both whitewood and birch veneering two coats of white
shellac varnish; when hard and dry, smooth sandpaper the surface,
then rub with pumice and oil lightly, afid finally polish with rotten
stone and use sweet oil, giving a dull finish. Or omit the polishing
with rotten stone and use beeswax, dissolved in turpentine to a paste.
In any case, polishing is tedious work and requires much labor and a
great deal of patience. We may as well add, however, that the quick-
est and safest method is to give one or two coats of shellac varnish,
which are lightly sandpapered : then one coat of a good, pale rubbing
varnish, which may be rubbed or haired down with F. F. pumice and
oil or water, and then polished with rotten stone and oil, to either a
dull or high finish, as the requirements may be.

— 412 —

Cause of the Peeling of Paint on New Spruce Timber.

A Canadian painter wrote that in his locality paint would usually
blister and peel in a year when applied to new spruce clapboards, but

739 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED. 169

he has had jobs that stood several years, due, he believed, to the fact
that he usually does not apply paint until after the woodwork had been
up for several weeks.

There is not any doubt whatever in our mind but that
the blistering and peeling in so short a time is, to a great extent, caused
by the condition of the timber to which the paint is. applied, yet,
while it is a good idea to let the wood go unpainted for a time, we
hardly think that a few weeks would be a great help toward seasoning,
. except in very warm, dry weather. We are rather inclined to believe
that the original seasoning of the timber has a great deal to do with
the result, but above all, that you are using a better material for
priming than the other painters, who have had such poor results.
Green wood and moisture are the causes for blistering in oil paints,
but poor priming is usually the cause for the flaking or peeling.
Boiled oil or fatty oil should never be employed in mixing paint for
priming coats, nor should ^inc pigments or ocher or other brittle earth
paints be used to any extent. Pure white lead with lampblack, or
pure white lead with a small portion of fine washed yellow ocher,
thinned with pure raw linseed oil, a little tupentine and drier, make
the best priming for new spruce clapboards.

— 413 —

Blended Colors and Clouded Effects.

The tints are best laid side by side, graduating from dark to
light or from light to dark, making the difference of each stripe as
small as possible, and if proper distance be allowed for each stripe,
there will be no dividing line, and blending will not be required. On
the other hand, if it is necessary to have a marked difference in shade*
the blender should be used, working the darker tints into the lighter
ones. To do this properly requires practice; it cannot be described
here how to handle the brush, but it is self-evident that the blending
must be accomplished before the paint sets. Clouded effects are ob-
tained by working one color into the other with a rotary motion, as,
for instance, white into a sky-blue ground, leaving sharp outlines in
the surface tint, but softening the effect by blending the white some-
what into the blue or the lighter tint or color into the deeper one.

— 414 —

Hanging Burlap, Crepe and Buckram on Walls — ^Also Proper Paste

for Same.

You may run your hangings all the way up to the ceil-
ing, if you relieve the monotony by placing a molding at about 16 to 18
inches below the ceiling all around the room. The color of molding
should strongly contrast with the color of your hangings, or you may
run the fabric six or seven feet high, using a. figured paper above. The
paste should consist of one pound of good glue dissolved in two gal-
lons of water, into which put enough paste powder to make a stiff
paste ; then add to the still warm pavSte two tablespoonfuls of Venice
turpentine or Canada balsam and stir well. The paste powder con-
sists of 84 parts, by weight, of wheat flour or starch ; 8 parts, by
weight, of caustic soda, and 8 parts, by weight, of sulphate of am-
monia.

170 r39 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED.

— 415 —

FUler for Yellow Pine.

The only filler for -this wood is good, pure shellac varnish.
Other substitutes will not answer, because there is too much sap in
this timber. If good grain alcohol shellac is too expensive, use orange
or brown shellac dissolved in wood alcohol, but do not substitute
rosin for shellac. Every other filler will turn white or will eventually
scale, taking the top coats of varnish with it.

— 416 —

Size for Aluminum Leaf on Wood.

We presume what is wanted is a size to lay aluminum leaf
on wooden signs or other objects. For exposed work we would
recommend an oil size, composed of heavy boiled linseed oil, to which
a little white lead is added. ' The oil must be stringy and have a good
tack, as in oil gold size. If you cannot get such an oil, take ordinary
boiled linseed oil, put in a shallow dish and heat it over a flame. When
boiling, remove it from the flame, allow to cool and then return it,
repeating this operation until the oil becomes thick like syrup; then
set the oil on fire, let it burn about a minute and extinguish the flame
with a close fitting lid. When cool, add the white lead and thin
with a little turpentine. For a quick size use pale gold size japan and
add enough white lead to take the yellowish color from the japan.
Thin with a little turps. Proceed as you would in laying gold leaf in
oil si!ze.

— 417 —

Polish for Restoring the Original Luster of Pianos.

We know of only one method to polish piano cases, and that is to
rub fine the finishing coat of varnish with rotten stone and water, using
the palms of the hands in the operation, which removes all scratches
and leaves a bright polish, which is completely finished by rubbing
with oil.

— 418 —

Imitation of Cherry Wood by Graining.

Follow the lines laid down in No. 408 on graining in imitation of
mahogany, with the exception of making your ground of white lead,,
tinted with burnt sienna, and for the graining, color raw and burnt
sienna, equal parts, darkened with a little burnt umber, all ground in
oil, thinned with turpentine and japan drier, if for exterior work. For
inside work, use the same ground, but for the graining color take burnt
sienna, ground in stale ale or beer, stipple with the brush, making as
fine a grain as possil^le. Then wipe out the heart pieces, not too many,
as cherry has but little grain. When dry, glaze with burnt sienna and
a little burnt umber in stale ale, and when this is dry, give a flowing
coat of good varnish.

729 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED. 171

— 419 —

Enameling the Rough Outside Surface of Cast Iron Bath Tubs.

To produce a level surface you require an iron filler, such as is
used on gas engines, of a color that is close to the finish you wish to
apply. This filler must be of putty-like consistency, so that for very
rough places you can apply it with a wide spatula, and thinning it
somewhat with turps, like an iron safe plastler to less rough surface. ^
This filler must be of such a nature that when applied heavy it will
show no cracks, and yet have enough binder so that it may be rubbed
with pumice. It must also sandpaper freely in from six to eight hours.
When the surface is so prepared, any good grade of engine enamel
will stand the action of hot water very well, because the outside of
a bath tub will never become as hot as the cylinder of an engine.

— 420 —
Strange Case of Paint Peeling from House and Barn.

A house, built about ten years, had been painted three times. After
the last' painting it peeled badly. The first time it was painted it re-
ceived three coats of white lead and color ; the second time, two coats
of red paint, and the third time two coats of light paint, which the
painter said was pure lead and linseed oil. The trimming has always
been cream color; it has peeled badly in places, while in other places
it is badly cracked and furrowed. The bam, built four years, was
painted twice, and is also peeling clean to the wood. As no red paint
l^ad been used on the barn, the trouble cannot be attributed to it.

The blistering and peeling of oil paints are caused, as a
rule, by the same agencies, chief among which is moisture. Painting
in damp or freezing weather will cause blistering and peeling. Green
wood used in buildings, painting the exterior before the plaster inside
of a frame dwelling has had time to dry out, may also be enumerated
as among the causes that make paint peel or blister.

It is, under the circumstances, a very difficult matter to form an
opinion as to the real cause of the trouble, and we should advise you,
before undertaking the job of repainting, to make a very thorough ex-
amination of both house and barn, especially the gutters on roof and
the nailing of the clapboards, if there are such ; in order to ascertain
that moisture cannot get in behind your new paint and possibly throw
it off also. We think it barely probable that the trouble is due to in-
ferior paint material, as the number of coats on the barn was insuf-
ficient to cause the paint to curl up by contraction of the outer coats
and be thus thrown off. Nor would fatty or impure oil in the last
paint cause the old paint to soften clean to the wood, and thus loosen
the hold of all the coatings. We do not know of any paint remover
that is as quick as the paint burner, and making as good a surface for
repainting.

172 739 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED.

— 421 —
Paper Hangers' Paste for Porous or Spongy Walls.

It was found impossible to make paper stick to some spongy walls,
although glue, glue and sugar, glue, soap and alum, have all been used.

If you have sized the walls, as ha3 been suggested re-
peatedly in these columns, there must be something wrong with your
paste or you may not have employed the proper kind of paste for the
sort of paper used. We would suggest that if you have not already
done so, you apply a glue size to the walls, after rubbing off with
coarse sandpaper any roughness or sand that may show. On this size
apply lining paper, which may be had at any wall paper store, or or-
dinary thin wrapping paper; even newspaper will serve the purpose,
using a good flour paste, made by making a batter of wheat flour and
cold water, adding to this boiling water until the paste becomes nearly
transparent.

If the paste does not lose its opalescence with the boiling water, boil
up under constant stirring over a slow fire until it does so. Do not
thin the paste too much for lining paper and keep out alum, but in
order to increase its adhesiveness, add a few ounces of Venice turpen-
tine or Canada balsam to one gallon of paste, while hot. This paste,
without the turpentine or balsam, will also answer for strong or heavy
paper, that may be put over the lining, but for delicate papers we
should suggest a paste made from wheat starch, which must be made
by pouring boiling water under continued agitation on the starch until
the paste assumes the appearance and consistency of lard. Another
important point worthy of mentioning is that while hanging paper no
draught should be allowed in the room or hall until the paper on every
part of the wall or ceiling is apparently dry. Draught will dry the
surface of the paper very rapidly, while the ground is still wet and
cannot resist the contraction on the surface, which causes the paper
to loosen in some spot and shortly after the balance follows.

— 422 —
Painting a Hot Water Tank of Iron in Imitation of Copper.

We haven't had much experience along this line, but would
say that two coats of paint, composed of a first-class baking
varnish and pigment, each coat baked on the iron by heat, .would be
fairly serviceable. If the color is to be a mere approach to copper, a
mixture of a bright red with yellow and black, ground in and thinned
with high grade baking varnish would serve the purpose. Or a good
copper bronze, such as is used on steam radiators for pipes, mixed
with such a varnish as described, might be even better. In this case,
when the first coat has been baked on by the heat generated from the
hot water in the tank, a second coat, before it has fully
set, could be dry bronzed to enhance the brightness of the job. Still
another, but more troublesome plan, is to take the solution of any salt
of copper, such as blue stone (blue vitriol) for instance, and place in
this pieces of scrap iron, which precipitates the metallic copper. This
is collected on a filter, dried and mixed with a high grade baking
varnish, and applied as suggested in the other methods.

739 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED, 173

— 423 —

Preparation to Keep Sliding Windows and Shutters from Screeching.

Make a lubricating soap by melting together three parts,
by weight, of tallow, six parts, by weight, of palm oil, and three parts,
by weight, of a 15 deg. solution of carbonate of soda. Apply to the
parts that create the friction, be it the edges of windows or shutters or
the sash ropes.

— 424 —
Flat Brick Red.

We should advise you to buy your flat brick red from a reputable
manufacturer, and thin it as per directions, when you will find that
you have a good, flat job, well bound. If, however, you wish to mix
the color yourself, would advise you to mix a good Venetian red in
oil with yellow ocher in oil to prpduce the proper shade, then mix some
dry bolted whiting in brown japan to a paste and add five pounds of
this latter to every ten pounds of the former mixture, and thin the
whole with turpentine to the consistency of a thin varnish.

Test it for binding over any old painted surface, and if not strong
enough, add a few tablespoonsful of spar varnish.

But if the bricks have not been painted before, you must give two
coats of oil paint before applying the flat brick red. We do not ap-
prove of using varnish alone as a binder for flat brick colors, and
would say the less varnish is introduced the better for wear and dura-
bility. It should consist of pigment, linseed oil, japan and turpen-
tine only and varnish should be added in very small doses only, when
required as an additional binder. As in everything else, the ground
work is the chief feature here, for if the suction of the bricks is not
thoroughly stopped, the flat coat will soon go to pieces.

— 425 —

Gold Bronze in Place of Gold Leaf on Wagon Work.

Inquiry was made in regard to gold bronze used for striping and
ornamenting wagons that appeared to have stood as well as gold leaf.

The gold bronze on the wagons you mention may derive its dura-
bility from being pure gold bronze powder, which is made by grind-
ing leaf gold with pure honey until the leaves are broken up and the
mineral is finely divided. Then the mixture is removed from the stone
slab with a spatula and placed in a porcelain dish containing clear
water, which dissolves the honey and sets the powdered gold free.
Let the gold settle and pour off the water, then add fresh water, re-
peating the operation until all the honey is washed out; collect the
gold on filtering paper and dry for use.

This, of course, is a tedious process, and there are soijie very good
gold bronzes to be had that will stand for years, the quality depend-
ing much upon the price paid. If bought under a guarantee from
responsible parties, good material can be procured. We have had
pretty good results on exposed work with No. 6000 rich gold bronze
powder, using best durable coach body varnish and pure turpentine
as medium for striping and applying a coat extra pale coach varnish
over it. In certain localities this has stood well for over three years ;
in other less favored exposures, eighteen months and over.

174 739 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED.

— 426 —

Bronzing Picture Moldings.

So far as we know, picture moldings formerly were bronzed by
using a special varnish, from which all the acid features that might
attack the bronze had been removed by treatment with caustic soda.
But at the present time they use lacquers in imitation of bronze or
where they still use gold or aluminum bronze they use a binder iden-
tical with or similar to the banana liquid. This liquid is a solution of
celluloid in amylacetate, and if you get the pure article you can de-
pend upon its standing the weather very well and that it will not tar-
nish good bronze powder. Whether it will stand water we cannot
say, but we rather think it will do so, for a time at least.

Brass lacquer of the proper sort, with spirit of wine as the medium,
may be applied over gold bronze, but not for exterior work.

— 427 —

How Gum Shellac May Be Dissolved in Water.

In a water bath dissolve two ounces of sal soda or one
ounce powdered borax in one gallon of water, and when the soda or
borax has dissolved and the water is boiling, put in your gum shellac,
one pound, cover the kettle, §tir occasionally until the gum is thor-
oughly dissolved. Sometimes it is necessary to use a larger portion
of soda or borax to effect thorough solution. When the gum is dis-
solving it will first rise to the top in the fornv of a scum^ but finally
drops to the bottom again. The solution is complete when all the
flakes or lumps have disappeared. It is best to have a larger and a
smaller kettle set in one another, similar to those used in melting glue.

— 428 —

Hard Oil Finish Turning White and Perishing.

Yellow pine casings and white pine doors were given a coat of
sublac in place of filler, and two coats of hard oil. The owner bought
the materials from a hardware house. Both sublac and hard oil were
thinned with turpentine. A few months later the finish scaled, pow-
dered and turned white and could. be readily removed by rubbing with
the finger.

If the sublac and hard oil were too stout to work prop-
erly, thinning with turpentine was the correct method, but you may
have overdone it and cut all the Ifie out of the varnishes. Still, that
does not account for the turning white of the job, nor for its early per-
ishing on interior work, which we assume it to have been.

The hard oil finish certainly must have been of very inferiors qual-
ity, most likely pure rosin varnish with but little oil for a binder. In
that case, even if you had not reduced it with turpentine, it would
not have lasted much longer. To rennedy the defect, the hard oil
and sublac must be removed clean to the wood by either sandpaper-
ing or the use of ammonia, and the bare wood given a coat of shellac
varnish for the yellow pine and either shellac or liquid filler for the
white pine doors, preferably shellac varnish for both casings and doors,
to be followed by two coats of hard gum inside varnish or the very
best hard oil. It will be of no use to put varnish on top of the perish-
ing coats, such as you have described.

729 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED, 175

— 429 —

Painting a Storeroom Display Table in White.

The display table in a clothing store was to be painted white. The
painter used white lead thinned with equal parts boiled oil and tur-
pentine, but the paint never dried hard and had to be removed. The
store was cold, so the table was taken out in the open air, yet failed to
dry hard.

' If the table was in the raw wood, a coat of shellac var-
nish should have been given to keep the sap in. On this a first coat
of pure white lead thinned one part raw oil and three parts turps, to
which some good pale japan should be added as a hardener. Next
a coat of pure white lead in oil, thinned with turps only and a small
portion of pale japan ; this coat, when dry, should be smoothly sand-
papered and dusted. For a finishing coat, if a good, smooth white
job is desired, zinc white ground in damar varnish, reduced to brush-
ing consistency with a pale hard gum varnish and a little turpentine,
should be applied, which, when hard, may be mossed or haired down
with pumice and water to a dull finish.

— 430 —

How to Apply Luminous Paint to Glass.

Some luminous paints are ground in and mixed with copal varnish ;
some with heavy bodied linseed oil ; others with melted paraffine wax
or japan wax and olive oil, and last, but not least, with silicate of soda.
Your sense of smell will probably enable you to determine what is
required for thinning. For use on glass, however, no other me-
dium but wax will answer, and do not forget that in order to be lumi-
nous the paint must be exposed to sunlight for a certain length of time,
or at least to very strong light. It is too much trouble for th^
painter to prepare such paints, as he has neither the apparatus nor
the required material at hand, or within easy reach. To
prove this, we shall give a few formulas for their prepa-
ration: Heat over a Bunsen burner for fifteen minutes
a quantity of strontium thiosulphate, and after that for five minutes
over a blast lamp. Or heat parts of strontium carbonate and lac sul-
phuris gently for five minutes, then strongly for twenty-five minutes
over a Bunsen burner, and finally for five minutes over a blast lamp.
These two will yield a greenish light when mixed with pure melted
paraffine wax. and applied to glass, but must be exposed to sunlight
at least thirty minutes.

To obtain a bluish light, precipitate a strong aquaic solution of stron-
tium chloride with sulphuric acid ; dry the precipitate, and heat it to
redness for some time in a current of hydrogen, then over a Bunsen
lamp for ten minutes and over a blast lamjp for twenty minutes.

— 431 —

What Is Hydraulic Lime?

Hydraulic lime is a species of lime that hardens under
water or which can be used in making hydraulic cement. Portland
and Roman cements as made in Europe are both hydraulic, and the

176 729 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED.

Rosendale cement manufactured in the United States must also be
classed in the same category. If limestone is ground in water, then
dried and calcined at high heat, the resulting material is hydraulic
lime, because it will harden, when mixed with water and also under
water. Calcined chalk will also answer the purpose to a certain ex-
tent, but will not become quite as hard as calcined limestone.

— 432 —
Lithopone — Its Value and Uses.

Lithopone, or, as many term it, lithophone, is a sulphide
of zinc white, similar to Charlton white, Griffith patent zinc white, and
is imported from Continental Europe under the brands green seal, red
seal, blue spal and yellow seal, each of these having a different body
and value, but all being of similar composition. The green seal brand
is generally the best quality and is composed of one part by weight
of zinc sulphide apd two parts by weight of barytes, while the red seal
brand consists usually of one part zinc sulphide and three parts bary-
tes, the yellow seal and blue seal varieties contain a still greater per-
centage of barytes, and in consequence are very deficient in body and
color.

Well made green seal lithopone approaches the body of the best
French zinc very closely, and in certain classes of work it is far
preferable.

At any rate, it will distance the ordinary grades of American zinc
white, because it does not require as large a portion of thinners and
works mtich more freely.

It is a first-class white for interior work, as it is unaffected by sul-
phur gases and does not yellow off when properly thinned. The only
objection to its use by painters is that it will not stand exposure to
the rays of the sun, because under certain conditions it will blacken
before the paint becomes dry and hard. If oils or driers containing
lead or copper salts are used with lithopone whites they will surely
turn gray or black in strong light, nor can these whites be tinted with
colors that have a lead or copper base, while with all other colors they
are unchangeable. Within the last few years numerous factories have
been started in this country that manufacture these zinc sulphide
whites under different names and with good success, the goods being
used to replace white lead and zinc whites in many large industries.

What Is Silica and for What Is It Used?

Quartz is the purest form of silica (oxide of silicon) and
occurs generally in granite rocks. It is ground fine in water and dried.
The finest grades are marketed as floated silica or silex, and are much
in demand for making wood fillers. The material being unaffected
by sulphur gases, acids or alkalies, has been used to some extent in
paints and is still used by some paint manufacturers in their so-called
white lead in place of the heavier barytes. We do not advocate its
use in paint because we consider it a very brittle mineral, but as a
wood filler it has no equal when properly prepared, especially in point
of fineness and purity. The material is a difficult one to hold in sus-
pension in oil, and on settling cakes very hard.

739 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED. 177

— 434 —

Best Size for Gilding on Glass.

Dissolve one-quarter ounce of gum arable in one quart
of boiling water. It must be rain water or soft river water, and while
still warm filter into a clean bottle through blotting paper or several
thicknesses of filtering paper, and when cold add one tablespoonful
of pure grain alcohol or rectified whisky. Allow to stand a few days
before using, and if well corked it will keep for years. To clean off
surplus gold after backing up, wash off with clean water. Should the
gold refuse to come off readily, add a little naphtha to the rinsing
water.

— 435 —

Best Method for Making Brick Walls Moisture or Water-Proof.

In the line of paint, we have had the best success by fol-
lowing this method : All dampness must be allowed to dry up as much
as possible, then one coat of boiled linseed oil of good body is given
and all joints and holes puttied up with pure linseed oil and whiting
putty, colored with fine brick dust or Venetian red. This dry and
hard, a coat of Venetian red, thinned with equal parts of boiled linseed
oil and turpentine, is applied, and finally a third coat of red oxide or
Venetian red, thinned with good raw linseed oil and some good oil
drier, is applied as a finish. Or the color may be changed from a red
to any desirable tint, using white lead as the base, tinting with oil
color to suit.

The first coat should always be either all oil, or at least contain
but little pigment, the second coat half flat and the last coat full gloss,
and less than three coats will be insufficient. It is best to vary the
color of the coats somewhat, so that laps or holidays may be readily
noticed. In our opinion, such impregnation of the walls, though of
higher cost, is superior to rough cement plastering.

— 436 —

Killing Knots on the Exterior of Frame Houses.

Wood alcohol white shellac was used to cover knots on the outside
of frame houses, but after a year or so they came through. Sometimes-
the balance of the work is fine and glossy, the knots only looking dull
and fiat.

We do not think the trouble is caused by the wood alco-
hol shellac, as we have used pure grain alcohol shellac made by our-
selves and used on interior, as well as exterior work, with similar
results. Whenever there was only two coats of paint of light color
applied, the knots would begin to show up inside of a year. Bleached
or white shellac has but little strength in comparison with orange shel-
lac or brown shellac, yet neither of these can be employed under light
tints. White shellac varnish, too, is sometimes manipulated with
water white rosin, which makes it still less resistant. The following
method of neutralizing pine knots has been imparted to us by an old
experienced painter, who claims to have had very good results from it :

178 739 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED,

Mix equal parts by measure of finely powdered red lead, white lead
and bolted whiting with one-third each of raw linseed oil, coach japan
and turps, strain and apply to the knots before priming.

— 437 —

Best Backing for Gold Leaf on Glass.

Genuine asphaltum in oil, such as is sold in tubes for
artists' use, is the very best material for backing up gold leaf on glass
signs. The commercial asphaltum varnish will not answer. If the
former cannot be readily obtained, mix lampblack, ground in japan
with a high grade outside or coach varnish, first cutting the lamcpblack
with some turpentine.

— 438 —
Formula for Staining Oak Black.

If you desire to effect an imitation of ebony by staining
oak, we will furnish you with the following : The wood is immersed
for forty-eight hours in a hot, saturated solution of alum and then
brushed over several times with a decoction of logwood made as fol-
lows : Boil one pound of best rasped logwood in ten pounds of water,
filter through linen and with gentle heat evaporate so much of the
liquid until it is reduced to five pounds. To this add twenty or thirty
drops of a saturated solution of indigo, completely neutral. After ap-
plying this dye to the wood, rub the latter with a saturated and fil-
tered solution of verdigris in hot, concentrated acetic acid, and repeat
the operation until a black of the desired intensity is obtained. It is
asserted that when oak is thus treated it makes a very handsome and
close imitation of ebony.

While this method of ebonizing oak is very durable and effective,
because deeply penetrating, it is also time robbing and expensive in
the end, and we believe that cheap work is done by simply staining
the wood with aniline black that is soluble in oil and naphtha, and
filling the same with a black filler. When the surface is thus smoothed
a coat of flat ivory black is applied, then varnished and polished. In
some cases a black lacquer is employed, of which two or three coats
are given, and then the varnish for polishing. So-called flat black lac-
quers that dry almost as quickly as shellac varnish are in the market,
and recommended for this very purpose.

— 439 —

Paint for Hot Steam Pipes and Radiators.

Radiator paints are usually made very similar to baking
enamels and consist of pigments and fatty varnishes that bake on the
metal by the aid of the heat in the pipes. To suit well for the work
the pigments must be ground in varnish to the utmost degree of fine-
ness and thinned with a special varnish to proper consistency for free
application. If the architect objects to linseed oil, he might equally
object to painting the radiators at all, unless he specified that the
same be lacquered or done in dry bronze. Even in that case a binder

739 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED. 179

IS required to hold the bronze on to the metal, though it would not
mean such a heavy coating as in the case of solid painting.

In mixing paints for steam radiators do not use oil colors, nor add
linseed or any other oil, raw or boiled, |jut use colors ground for coach
work, and thin with good, free working baking varnish, so that the
paint will no more than just cover. In this way you will have no blis-
tering, and the gloss will be retained. Use a bright red of good bulk,
ground in varnish, for your hot steam pipes, and thin to the fullest
extent with a good pale baking varnish, and the gloss will be more
permanent.

— 440 —

Black Ash Stain in Water or Spirit.

Boil three pounds extract of logwood, one pound concen-
trated lye and one gallon of water until all is dissolved, then strain.
May be applied either hot or cold. If not dark enough, when dry, go
over the work with a solution of strong vinegar and iron.

For quick work, dissolve extract of logwood in wood alcohol to the
desired strength, strain and apply. To intensify the stain, go over the
work with a tincture of muriate of iron.

— 441 —
Repainting a Ceiling in Water Color.

A church was decorated nearly fifty years ago in flat paint, imita-
tions of plaster moldings, etc., quite dark tints. Light tints now being
wanted, the question was asked which was the best method to pursue :
To give a coat pf flat white and tint on that, or to give a coat of glue,
whiting and alum size and tint on that. One coat will not cover the
old work, especially after all the cracks are cut out and plastered up.

We fully agree with you on the last paragraph, and are
afraid that you will not get along even with a coat of flat white, espe-
cially if you have water stains to cover over. Would advise you to
size all the new plaster in the cut-out cracks and apply one coat of
white lead tinted to the color of the lightest tint you intend to apply
in the finish, and thin with turpentine only to make it dry flat. This
will be safer than the coat of glue, whiting and alum, because the ceil-
ing in this case is not a new one, where the priming can get a hold
on the plaster. Aside from the risk of peeling, you will have better
covering from the tinted white lead coat.

— 443 —

Glazing Aluminum Leaf to Obtain a Golden Effect.

Raw sienna is not transparent enough for a glaze on leaf,
and Dutch pink is out of the question altogether. Procure some high
grade French yellow lake, ground in varnish, and thin same as you
would French carmine for glazing with as little turpentine and as
much pale coach varnish as possible, and you will get the desired
effect.

We recommend French yellow lake especially, because we know it
to be more permanent and safer than gamboge, turmeric or dragon's
blood, although a mixture of the last two would give a richer effect in
the outset.

i8o 739 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED.

— 443 —

Hardening Glue and Quickening the Drying of Plaster Paris.

Mix some finely powdered brick dust with your glue, and
you will find it harden quicker hi the ratio of proportion of dust added*

Mix your plaster with water in which you have previously dissolved
gum arabic in the proportion of one ounce of gum to each pint of
water.

— 444 —

Putty for Glazing Sash of Cast Iron.

Pure linseed oil and whiting patty, mixed with some dry
white lead and a little japan, thoroughly kneaded, is the best material.
Or, if you have any oil paint skins about the shop, run them through
a paint mill until fairly fine, then mix with bolted whiting fairly stiff
and pound with a mallet or knead very thoroughly. But before put-
ting in your glass prime the sash with good paint, half flat.

— 445 —

Deadening and Perishing of Oil in Exposed Places.

In the summer, the outside of a frame house that had previously
been painted a salmon color, was painted pea green, using white lead
tinted with Imperial green in oil, thinned with boiled oil and turpen-
tine. Four months later the paint could be rubbed off with the hand,,
except in places where the sun did not strike it.

We believe that, in the first place, the exposed portions
of the old painted surface were more dry than were those where the
sun did not strike and in consequence absorbed more of the oil from
your fresh paint. In the second place, you should not have used any
turpentine in repainting old work in summer, as the liquid drier, which
you have no doubt used in the paint, has enough volatile oil, such as
turps or benzine, in its makeup, and, lastly, your boiled oil may not
have been of the best quality. We should advise you to examine con-
ditions of old painted surfaces very critically in the future before be-
ginning repainting, and call your patron's attention to the same when
you are not certain of your ability to produce good wearing effects
with the specified number of coats. Also to let boiled oil alone, unless
you are certain of procuring kettle boiled linseed oil of good body
and unquestioned purity. Use pure raw linseed oil instead.

— 446 —

To Keep Dry Bronze from Sticking to Glass and Japanned Tin.

Trouble was experienced from the sticking of aluminum bronze on
glass and japanned tin signs. The letters were painted with a liquid
made from spar varnish, japan and white lead. When the size became
tacky the bronze was dusted on, but the surplus bronze was difficult to-
clean off.

See that your glass and japanned tin is thoroughly dry,
and dust all over the surface before applying the size some finely
powdered talc or chalk, which may be dusted off when the bronze oiv
letters or stripes has become adhesive, and in dusting the bronze or
gold will come off with the talc or chalk.

7S9 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED. i8i

— 447 —

Pure White Lead Paint Scaling on Yellow or Southern Pine.

The following test was made with pure white lead on panels of
hard pine that was very sappy. One piece was painted two coats, the
lead being thinned with raw oil ; second piece with nine parts raw oil
and one part turps, raw oil only being used in the third coat ; ^ third
piece was the same as the second, except that coal oil was substituted
for turpentine. The panels were laid on a tin roof for some time
and afterward nailed on the south side of a shed. The second and
third tests scaled badly before the first began to scale.

We rather think that the term scaling is misapplied here
and that the paints peeled, or^ in other words, were thrown off by the
drawing of the sap out of the wood by the heat of the sun.' In paint-
ing yellow pine the first coat of paint should be made very thin and
moderate use of turpentine is hot objectionable, but rather beneficial,
inasmuch as the paint has a better opportunity to penetrate.

But in no case should coal oil be used, as it prevents the hardening
of the priming coat and, incidentally, subsequent coats. The prim-
ing or first coat on yellow pine should be given plenty of time to dry
thoroughly and hard before the next coat is put on.

— 448 —

How to Prepare Paper Hangers' Paste That Will Not Liquefy,

The best method is to take sifted wheat flour, and beat it up in* cold
water to a stiff batter. When all the lumps are beaten out of it, add
enough cold water to make it similar to pudding batter. Then while
stirring pour in a little hot water first, and, after a minute or so, pour
in the hot water faster, and stir until the paste swells and thickens and
becomes darker. Pour a little cold water on top to keep from skim-
ming over while cooling. Four pounds of flour should make about
six to seven quarts of paste.

— 449 —

Pine Oil as a Substitute for Linseed Oil in Roof Painting.

The question was asked whether pine oil mixed with fireproof min-
eral would make a good paint for roofs.

When you mention pine oil we are not certain whether
you mean liquid pine tar or rosin oil. For shingle roofs either of these
can be used for thinning metallic paste paints that are ground in lin-
seed oil, but the use of rosin oil in any great portion will not give
good wear, because when paint mixed with rosin oil is apparently
dry it becomes soft again and alternately harderis and becomes soft
and tacky, until it is destroyed by the action of the sun and rainstorms,
powders and is finally washed off. If you do not guarantee the work,
you can use about two-thirds rosin oil to one-third linseed oil for this
work. As rosin oil is rather heavyan body, the paint may be cut with
benzine.

If you have liquid pine tar in view, you cannot use it straight, but
your metallic paste should be first thinned with a cheap lightning
drier to proper consistency for brushing and then sufficient pine tar

i82 739 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED.

added to produce a free working paint. We, however, do not assume
any responsibility for the foregoing, only suggesting what may be
done in the way of cheap roof painting, always believing tbat ortho-
dox paint materials are cheapest in the end, no matter what first cost
may be.

Where bright color is not required, you can make a cheap and fairly
durable roof paint by mixing in the cold way lo gallons each of coal
tar, pine tar and benzine, with lo pounds well-sifted, air-slaked lime
and the necessary mineral red or brown pigment.

— 450 —

Paint Peeling Off to the Plastex on the Wall of a Kitchen.

The old kalsomine was washed from the walls of a kitchen by the
owner, not particularly clean, but fairly well. The priming was prob-
ably too flat ; then one coat of size was given to insure gloss ; the sec-
ond and last coat was probably too oily. The paint was mixed from
best lead and oil, but it peeled off in spots.

From your description of the method pursued in paint-
ing that wall we should say that as the paint peeled off in spots clean
down to the plaster it is evident that all of the old kalsomine was not
removed; also that your priming coat was not oily enough and not
adhesive to a sufficient degree to resist contraction of the size and that
the size shrunk under the oily finishing coat, pulling away the flat
priming in such spots where th^ loose kalsomine still remained on the
wall or where there may have been some greasy spots on the walls.
You could have ascertained this if you had closely examined the shreds
of paint that peeled off on the under side. The priming for a wall,
new or old, that has never been painted in oil before should always
carry enough oil to allow for suction, and the size should not be too
strong.

Many painters, in painting new walls, use a cheap varnish, com-
monly known as wall sizing or suction varnish, but we prefer to give
the bare wall a priming coat of pure white lead, using not more than
six pounds to seven pounds of raw linseed oil and one pint of tur-
pentine, and brushing this in well. When this is dry, a coat of glue
size should be given, which will answer for two coats of paint. On
top of this give as many coats as are required for the finish desired.
We would not advocate the use of the mixture you speak of.

— 451 —

How to Obtain a Clear, Burnished Gold Letter on Glass.

Whatever dust ' may come with a book of gold will not
show between the letter and the glass. In the first place, good
work cannot be done on poor glass, for upon the purity of the glass
depends the greater part of the brilliancy of the work. Clean the
glass perfectly with whiting and water and polish the working side
with finest tissue paper. Apply the size freely with a clean camel's
hair spalter and with the tip throw on your leaf, then set your glass
up edgewise, if you have had it in horizontal position. When dry,
take refined cotton and rub the leaf briskly until luster is obtained.

729 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED. 183

Do not mind if you rub most of the gold away, the luster is there.
Then apply a second coat of leaf, as you did the first, and when dry
go over it again with cotton, this time lightly, and wash it with sizing
repeatedly to obtain a spotless surface. After the design has been
pointed out, wash off the surplus gold with water until nothing re-
mains on the glass but the gilded letters or design. Always have the
glass in a vertical position to permit the water to drain off thoroughly.

— 453 —

Sweating of Hard Oil Finish on Interior Woodwork.

A new house in the South had the interior woodwork of Georgia pine
finished with hard oil. The walls were plastered, the work being fin-
ished two weeks before the varnishing was done, and the palster ap-
parently being dry. The hearth was cemented and very damp. While
the varnish was applied the weather was fine and the wood dried
nicely, but a few days later the weather was warm and rainy and the
atmosphere in the closed up house was very damp. The varnish began
to sweat so badly that on the doors, window casings and sills the drops
stood out, while on the mantels it came down in streaks.

The trouble in this case is caused by moisture and lack
of ventilation, and not by any fault in the varnish. There was a com-
bination of conditions, every one of which tended to assist in bring-
ing about the so-called "sweating" of the hard oil finish. Though the
plaster may have appeared to be dry, it was not so by any means, but
only hard, and no doubt still contained some moisture, which was
given off to the atmosphere in the rooms. The woodwork was prob-
ably not well seasoned and the rooms being closed the moisture set-
tled upon the varnished surface, where it could be most plainly seen.
The only remedy in such a case is the heating of the rooms and ad-
mission of air.

— 453 —

Oil Stain for Birch in Imitation of Mahogany, and Black Stain for

Oak.

To give a rich mahogany color to birch wood and show
up the grain well, mix three pounds of rose pink in oil and one pound
of a deep burnt sienna in oil, with one quart best brawn japan, one
quart of boiled linseed oil and two or three quarts of turpentine. If
not dark enough, add one pint best turpentine, asphaltum varnish,
and if not rich enough add some rich red lake to the mixture in suffi-
cient quantity to give the desired effect. Have the stain as thin as
possible so as to penetrate deeply into the wood. To stain oak very
dark, mix three pounds of burnt umber in oil and one pound of a good
drop black in oil with one quart of best brown japan, one quart of
boiled oil and one gallon or more of turpentine, and for staining oak
black, mix three pounds of a good drop black in oil that is not blued
with a similar quantity of best brown japan, boiled oil and turpentine,
as is described for the previous formula.

i84 729 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED,

— 454 —

Best Way to Clean a Stippling Brush.

Wash the brush in the usual way in benzine or gasoline,
dipping it into the fluid bristles down, repeating this until the bristles
appear clean, then take the end of the handle between the palm of both
hands, twirling the brush rapidly so as to get out all the liquid pos-
sible. Do not wipe off the brush on the edge of the pot, as many do,
as this method ruins the shape of the brush. After the brush has been
cleaned in benzine or gasoline, dissolve a piece of washing soda the
size of a walnut in a quart of warm (not hot) water, and repeat the
operation, taking care to get a little water on the back and handle of
brush. When the bristles appear thoronghly clean, wipe off the back
and handle with a dry cloth, but do not touch the bristles, and set the
brush in the sun or near the fire to dry. Wiping softens the bristles
and so does the use of soap or soapsuds.

— 455 —

What Is Stucco Composed of?

The best stucco is said to be composed of plaster of paris
(calcined gypsum) that has been steeped in a saturated solution of
alum and recalcined, then reduced to a powder. For use as a stucco,
it is mixed with water, same as the ordinary plaster of paris.

— 456 —

A Simple Method for the Detection of Mineral Oil in Linseed Oil.

Keep in your shop a strip of clear window glass, say about
3 by 8 inches, coated on one side with several coats of lamp-
black; also keep in a well-stoppered bottle a sample of raw linseed
oil that is unquestionably pure. Keep the oil in a dark place, so as to
hold its original color; otherwise it will bleach from the effect of
strong light. Place a few drops of the suspected oil on the unpainted
side of the glass, and alongside of that a few drops of the pure oil, and
if the suspected article contains only 5 per cent, of mineral oil it will
be plainly noted by the bluish cast (usually termed bloom) of the
specimen. Your suspected oil may contain a good portion of cotton-
seed oil, which at present is somewhat lower in price than linseed.
Td test for the presence of cottonseed oil, make a freezing mixture of
ice and salt, and insert into this a small bottle or test tube containing
some of the suspected oil. Linseed oil freezes only at a temperature
of 18 deg. F. below zero, while cottonseed oil freezes at 28 ^eg, above
zero. When the suspected article, after remaining in the freezing
mixture for thirty minutes, assumes butterlike consistency it is either
all or nearly all cottonseed oil, if only somewhat coagulated the per-
centage of cottonseed oil is probably one-third or one-half, but if the
oil is unaffected and merely becomes cloudy it may be pure linseed
oil containing a very small percentage of moisture. Fish oil also
freezes very readily at 30 deg. F. above zero, but its presence is easily
detected by its odor. At all events, you should view with suspicion
any linseed oil that is offered you below current market rates.

739 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED. 185

— 457 —

Gold Bronze for Old Picture Frames that Will Not Tarnish.

The question was asked why the following method of refinishing old
picture frames in gold did not prove satisfactory. The old gilding was
washed with ammonia water, and after they were dry, a coat of japan
gold size was applied. When this had a good tack, dry bronze was ap-
plied and a good burnish obtained, but in a short time the gilding tarn-
ished and the luster was very dull.

The reason for tarnishing and loss of luster in your bronze may be
due to two causes — either your bronze is not of good quality or your
gold size japan reacted on the alloy.

Gold size japan contains, as a rule, a good portion'of lead oxide,
which may have had a bad effect on your bronze or your bronze was
not of good quality.

We would suggest that you employ the so-called French gold bronze
that is made from gold leaf and do your bronzing in the wet state,
using as a medium the japan lacquer, known to the trade under the
name of banana oil, a clear liquid of quick drying and binding prop-
erties, which does not affect the color or luster of the bronze, but
rather protects the same.

— 458 —

How to Make a First-Class Job in Painting a Brick Wall.

If the walls are to be painted in red, prime or first coat
them with a good Venetian red that is ground in linseed oil, thinned
with raw linseed oil and a little good oil drier. Rub this prime in well
and after drying putty up the joints with a good linseed oil and whit-
ing putty that has been colored with Venetian red. The priming coat
should not weigh over ten pounds to the United States gallon.

For second coat, mix one-fourth pure white lead in oil with three-
fourths Venetian red in oil, and thin with two parts raw linseed oil and
one part of turpentine, adding a good oil drier as required. Brush
this coat out well and uniformly, and it will give body to the job.
Vox the third and last coat, mix a first-class Venetian red in oil with
pure boiled linseed oil of good body and a little good oil drier, flow-
ing it on, but in such a way that it will not run. This is for a gloss
finish. For a flat brick red effect- prime and putty up in similar man-
ner, and apply the second coat with three-fourths oil and one-fourth
turps, while for the finish we should advise you to use flat brick red
paste, thinning with turpentine. If you cannot obtain a good flat
brick red, prepare it by thinning stiff ground Venetian red with best
brown japan and turpentine, making the paint very .thin. Should the
paint be a little glossy, it will become flat enough after a few weeks.

If other color than red, as, for instance, buff or greenish tints, are
desired, use pure white lead, thinned with raw linseed oil and a little
drier for priming, holding it thin, say about ten pounds keg lead to
three quarts of oil, and when dry putty up. For second coat use ten
pounds keg lead to three pints raw oil and one pint turpentine, adding
a little drier. Tints on brick walls are usually held in gloss finish,
therefore we should recom;mend the use of three parts keg lead and

. i86 739 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED.

one part zinc white in oil, adding the necessary tinting colors and
thinning with raw linseed oil and the required drier for the finishing
coat. Less than three coats will not make a good job, and in order
to have the paint wear well would suggest that you do not begin to
paint until there has been at least one week of dry weather, so that
the moisture is fairly well out of the bricks; otherwise you run the
risk of having your paint scaling.

— 459 —

Durability of Shellac Varnish as First Coat Under Oil Paint or Fin-
ishing Varnish on Exterior Work.

Good grain alcohol shellac varnish can be classed as in-
dispensable for a first coating for hard pine, and you need not trouble
yourself as to its standing under subsequent coats of paint or var-
nish. Good shellac varnish stands exposure to the weather very well
by itself, excepting in the presence of moisture, so that when it is pro-
tected by one or more coats of oil paint or oil varnish it is a pretty
safe first coater for hard pine and other resinous woods, acting as a
sealer to keep in the sap to a great extent. Of course, no one would
think of applying more than one coat of the expensive shellac varnish
to exterior woodwork or to use the same for finishing. That it is not
used more extensively is no doubt due to its cost and not because of
the fear of its not standing exposure to the ordinary conditions of
weather.

— 460 —

Vehicle for Aluminum Bronze Paint.

The so-called "banana oil'' is not the only medium for
mixing with aluminum bronze, but it is about the best medium for
exterior bronzing, because, in spite of its quick drying, it retains its
elasticity under severe exposure and has no discoloring eflFect upon
the bronze. A good hard gum varnish that is fairly pale, reduced with
spirits of turpentine to good flowing consistency, will also serve as a
good medium for aluminum bronze for exposed work, especially for
ornamental sign work. For inside bronzing, where banana oil is un-
desirable because of its odor, any good copal varnish, reduced with tur-
pentine or benzine, will serve as bronzing liquid, providing it does not
diminish the luster of the bronze perceptibly.

— 461 —

Repainting Canoes from Which the Paint Is Abrased.

' The best way to obtain good results is to remove the
paint still remaining clean to the wood ,either by burning ofl: or by
a.pplying the following: Slake 15 pounds of quick stone lime in water^
and when fully slaked add 5 pounds of American pearlash, making
the mixture of the consistency of semi-paste paint. Lay this fairly
thick on the paint, let it remain until the old paint is softened clean
down to the wood and scrape oflF, then wash with water and vinegar^
equal parts, and allow the surface to dry thoroughly before attempt-
ing to repaint. Sandpaper the places where the grain of the wood

739 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED. 187

may have been raised by the action of the lime and pearlash mixture.
In repainting do not hold your priming or first coat too oily, but
temper it to suit the nature of the wood, or, best, use equal parts raw
linseed oil and turpentine, and if any puttying is to be done, do it
after the priming has dried and use good linseed oil, lead and whiting
putty. As less than three coats will not make a good job, would sug-
gest that the second coat be held so as to dry with no higher than
eggshell gloss, and if high grade of work is desired, regardless of cost,
would recommend the adding of a first-class spar varnish to the oil
paint for third coat. Remember that too liberal a dose of oil in paint
for boats is liable to cause peeling or blistering, and mix your paint
for the various coats accordingly.

— 462 —

Silvering Glass Without Heat Again.

In using the method given in No. 391, it was found that in putting
the glass in, a black deposit is formed which is easily rubbed off.
• Would an excess of ammonia cause this? In mixing, the ammonia
was not added drop by drop, but a little poured in at a time.

We do not think that it is necessary to add the ammonia
drop by drop, but the silver solution and ammonia must be mixed
proportionately, a little at a time, until the silver solution is exhausted,
when the mixture must be filtered. It may be that the pan was not
well enough coated or that the nitrate of silver was not pure, and as
the rochelle salts act as the binder the cause of the silver rubbing
off so readily may be found in a lack of strength in the salt solution.
Try again, following the instructions carefully, using pure nitrate of
silver and the strongest commercial ammonia and vbe careful to have
the tin pan well coated, so that the silvering mixture cannot possibly
come into contact with the tin.

— 463 —

Size for Aluminum Bronze.

For interior work you can reduce any good copal or coach
varnish with pure turps or benzine, using one gill of either of these
solvents to one-half pint of varnish. Apply the size to the object, and
when it has set with a fair tack dust on your dry bronze, and in a short
time rub off the excess of powder with a pad of cotton.

This will produce good luster, provided you use bronze of hijEjh
grade. The same liquid may be employed for wet bronzing, but it
should be more dilute for such purpose, say equal parts varnish and
solvent.

— 464 —

Painting the Interior of an Iron Roof with Cork Paint.

The specifications called for one coat of paint, then a layer of cork
and a final coat of paint.

We have very little experience along this line, and can only
make suggestions as they occur to us. The cork must, of neces-
sity, be in a fairly fine powder, the first coat of paint must be stout
and oily, so that enough of the cork will adhere to make a uniform

i88 7S9 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED,

coating. We should think it best to coat a small space at a time,
spread a cloth under this space to catch the excess o£ cork when it is
thrown on the wet paint, and also to catch the surplus that is brushed
off when the paint has dried, so that it will not interfere with the sec-
ond coat of paint. The surest way to have the work uniform would
be to use a good priming coat of red lead, and follow this with a min-
eral paint, into which the maximum quantity of pulverized cork has
been introduced, brushing it on heavy. This would cost considerably
less and save a great deal of time and annoyance, and serve the pur-
pose equally as well.

— 465 —

Proper Proportions of White Lead and Zinc to Insure Good Wear on

Exterior Surface.

The opinions of experts vary in this respect, but as the
variation of the proportions by those of longest experience and high-
est reputation among the fraternity are limited between 75 per cent,
white lead and 25 per cent, zinc white and 85 per cent, white lead and
15 per cent, zinc white, we may say that a safe proportion in locali-
ties named by you would be 80 per cent, pure white lead in oil and 20
per cent, zinc white in oil ; while in salt atmosphere, as, for instance,
along the seaboard, a combination of two-thirds white lead in oil by
weight and one-third zinc white in oil by weight, for all but the prim-
ing coat, would be proper, the priming coat to be pure white lead in
oil only. This, of course, refers to jobs in pure white or delicate tints
only. For strong tints, where such a color as yellow ocher, for in-
stance, is used in large proportions, it is unwise to use zinc white at
all, because ocher is really a brittle material that will correct any
chalking tendency the white lead may have. On the other hand, take
a tint like Colonial yellow, that is made from white lead and chrome
yellow, 10 to 15 per cent, of zinc white will not be out of proportion.
The painter should make his combinations of lead and zinc to suit
the tinting colors required to produce the stronger or dark tints, as a
great deal really depends upon their properties. It goes without say-
ing, however, that in the chalking of white lead paint and in the crack-
ing or peeling of zinc white paint, the thinners and driers emploj'ed
exercise quite an important part.

— 466 —

How to Prepare and Apply a Good Flat Black for Grille Work.

Such a flat black is best made by thinning a good drop
black in japan, such as is used by coach painters, with turpentine to
a consistency almost as thin as liquid drier and adding enough of a
good coach varnish to give the required binder, but not enough to
produce even a faint gloss on drying. As such a paint dries very
quickly, proper thinning and required quantity of varnish may be read-
ily ascertained by applying a little of the mixture to a piece of hoop
iron or black sheet iron, and on drying it can be tested by rubbing
over it with the point of the finger.

739 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED, 189

For inside work, part or all benzine may be substituted for turpen-
tine in thinning the black. A soft, flat brush of suitable size should
be used for applying the paint and the brush dipped into the paint
lightly only to prevent running over the edges and clogging in the
corners. Whether one or two coats should be applied on inside work
depends on the nature of the job and the price paid, but j*eal good work
cannot be done with one coat.

For handrails and exposed iron work that is to be finished flat, we
would recommend a first coat of drop black in oil or varnish, that will
dry hard with good gloss and finish with a flat black as above, but use
no benzine for thinning.

The idea of finishing in flat black is to hide any imperfections or
tool marks in the iron that would show up in gloss finish.

— 467 —

Stamp Ink for Rubber Stamps.

The following recipes have been published several years ago-
in the Scientific American, and while we have not tried them, we
think the inks made on these lines very good. It will not cost you
much to make the experiment.

Blue Rubber Stamp Ink. — Mix 3 parts by weight of aniline blue,
water soluble iB with 10 parts by weight of distilled water and tri-
turate in a mortar, and add gradually 70 parts by weight of glycerine.
When a solution is effected, add 10 parts alcohol and 10 parts pyro-
Mgneous acid, also by weight. Stir well and bottle.

Other colors can be made by substituting for the blue the following:

For Parts by weight.

Red : Methyl violet, 3B 3

Scarlet : Diamond f uchsin, 1 2

Green : Methyl green, yellowish 4

Brown : Vesuvian B 5

Black : Nigrosin W (blue black) 4

For a bright red, three parts eosine BBN are used, but in this case
the pyroligneous acid must be omitted or else the color will be de-
stroyed. All other aniline colors, when used for stamping ink, must be
acidulated.

For stamping linen or cotton in black, dissolve one ounce of asphal-
tum in four ounces of turpentine and add enough calcined lampblack
to make the ink of the right consistency for printing with type.

— 468 —
Unshrinkable Molding Cement.

A formula was asked for a cement for molding small objects that re-
quire delicately fine lines of cast, such as engraved plates. It must be
unshrinkable, harden quickly and resist pressure of heat.

For this purpose there is none better than Jannin's ce-
ment, so named after the patentee, a resident of France. It is simrply
a mixture of oxide of lead and glycerine, in suitable proportions to
meet requirements. The yellow oxide of lead, known as massicot, is
said to be most suitable, although other metallic oxides may be mixed

190 739 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED.

with this in small quantities to suit the nature of the work in color.
The quantity of massicot and glycerine required must be determined
by the nature of the work and the consistency of the cement. The
cement will set in a few minutes under the influence of gentle heat,
and will then resist pressure and heat and will neither contract' nor
expand.

When set, tlie cement can be employed as a substitute for litho-
graphic stones, and can replace them, for many practical purposes.
Will also serve for artistic reproductions, such as the facsimiles of
terra cotta, whose color and sonorous quality it possesses.

— 469 —
What Is Bole?

Bole is a pigment similar to clay, and occurs in white,
gray), red, brown and yellow color. It is a silicate of alumina, and
whatever color the mineral possesses is due to the presence of oxide
of iron.

— 470 —

Opinion as to the Cause of the Exterior of a Dwelling Checking and

Peeling After Repainting.

The following detailed statement of the conditions was given by the
painter of a house on which the paint failed : "The work referred to
was repainting the exterior of a fine Colonial house, all wood. Have
had nothing to do with first painting, when the house was built. First
painting was light gray priming, applied October and November;
second coat,, light Colonial yellow, with trace of red, applied February
and March ; third coat about the same color, applied April and May of
same year. The work was coated very heavily. From September 22
to November 12, two years later, I repainted the house. All
of the old paint was thoroughly sandpapered and dusted, and the ma-
terial used was English B. B. lead, raw American linseed oil and a
drier of good reputation. For first coat, best yellow ocher in oil was
used for tinting the lead, with a trifle of Van Dyke brown and enough
turpentine added to produce an eggshell gloss. The finish was in old
ivory tint, and very little coloring matter necessary to produce this,
but in last coat I used in addition to the lead about 20 per cent, genu-
ine Veille Montagne French zinc. When finished, the whole job
showed up as fine as any I ever did, but in less than a year's time the
paint began to check partly across the grain and partly with the grain
of the wood, and three and one-half years later the work has all gone to
pieces, checking clean through to the priming in dry places and peel-
ing off to the wood where exposed to dampness. The blinds,
which were also painted, have stood very well. These were first
coated with American lead tinted dark lead color, shaded toward green.
Second coat was yellow ocher and lampblack, toned up with a dark
chrome green."

We cannot find any fault with your painting or the ma-
terials you have used, although the drier you name is a very strong
one, and you may have added more to your paint than was necessary

739 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED. 191

for a job which, according- to your statement, was in nowise hurried.
We think that the disintegration of the paint is not so much due to
hte addition of zinc white on the final coat as to the heavy coats in
the original painting of the house, when newly built, and it is just pos-
sible that if you had made a very close exo;nination of the surface be-
fore repainting you might have discovered the fissures that showed
up afterward in the shape of check marks or cracks. Not only that,
but it may be that the material used in the first painting was of inferior
quality and not a good foundation for repainting. We trust that some
of our readers will give us the benefit of their experience on similar
lines.

— 471 —
How Decalcomania Transfer Ornaments Are Applied.

Coat over very thinly the gold back of the transfer with
coach varnish, and you need not be particular whether you get the
varnish on the paper outside of the figure or not. Lay the ornament
or picture to one side until the varnish becomes quite tacky, then lay
it on the desired place and rub gently with a moistened sponge until
all the parts are flattened down. Allow this about one-half hour to
dry, then wet the paper with a soft sponge and cold water until it lifts
off easily, when the printed figure will be left perfect on the panel.
With a soft rag dipped in turpentine, gently rub over the whole to re-
move the surplus varnish, and the work is complete.

_472 —
How to Dissolve Gum Shellac Properly.

Failure to dissolve white (bleached) shellac in grain alcohol shellac
so that it remains in suspension may be due to inferiority of the gum
or to lack of strength in the alcohol. ^

When the bleached shellac gum is pure and in good condition and
the alcohol between 92 and 95 per cent., there should be no appreciable
settling out of the gum. When we speak of 92 per cent, alcohol, we
mean that the liquid must contain 92 per cent, absolute alcohol and
8 per cent, of water in one hundred parts by weight, or when 95 per
cent, alcohol is mentioned, it means that one hundred parts by weight
of the liquid should contain 95 per cent, absolute alcohol and 5 per
cent, water. Spirit of less strength will not cut gum shellac properly,
and alcohol absorbing moisture very freely must be kept tightly sealed
up. When purchasing white or bleached shellac, it is best to buy it
in twist form and not in the pulverized state. To keep these twists
in good condition a keg should be half-filled with water and placed
in a cool part of the shop and the twists of gum shellac placed on a
crate above the water in the keg and the same covered with a cloth,
and the water should be renewed from time to time. This mthod will
keep the gum in good condition. If left in a perfectly dry place it be-
comes crumbly and useless, while when kept under water it tends to
blacken and mold. To prepare the varnish inclose the gum shellac in
a strong bag and beat with a hammer or iron pestle; sift out the tine
particles and continue the operation until it is all pulverized ; place the
powder in a wide-mouth glass bottle or jar and pour over it the re-

192 739 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED,

quired quantity of 95 per cent, grain alcohol; close the bottle with a
glass stopper and agitate by oft-repeated shaking. If the receptacle is
first placed in moderately warm water and then in hot water, it will
hasten the solution and produce a clearer varnish. The addition of
Venice turpentine adds toughness to the varnish and permits it to flow
more freely, but does not add drying properties. It is recommended
that for white shellac varnish of medium body the following propor-
tions be used: Two pounds bleached shellac, one-half pound clear
Venice turpentine, 6 pounds 95 per cent, alcohol. White shellac var-
nish should be kept in glass only, as tin vessels tend to darken it. The
reason for your complaint of the slow drying of the shellac varnish,,
that you purchase in ready for use form, must be looked for in the fact
that commercial shellac varnish, even when grain alcohol shellac is
asked for, is not made with that article, but with methylated spirit, and
it stands to reason that manufacturers cannot supply the orthodox ar-
ticle at the price quoted. The Painters Magazine in the September,.
1899, issue, gave a full and thorough description with illustrations in
an article entitled: "How Shellac Is Manufactured," from which we
will quote: Lac is a resinous incrustation formed on the bark,
twigs and branches of various trees by an insect known to entomolo-
gists as the Coccus Lacca. It is found in most of the provinces of East
India and in Bengal, Assam and the Central provinces; also in Siam,
Ceylon and some of the islands of the Western Archipelago. The resin
is gathered by the natives at various seasons and ground in stone mills
in a rather primitive manner, by hand, then sifted so as to free it from
barks, twigs, etc. Then the ground sticklac, so called, is taken to the
washroom to free it from the lac dye, a beautiful permanent red color.
When it has been washed, it is spread oyt under cover and permitted
to dry and finally carefully selected according to color and melting
quality into the particular grade of shellac which is to be manufactured.
The ground lac is now packed into a cotton pipe or cotton bag, some-
what resembling a canvas fire hose pipe.

In the fire room this cotton bag is hung up about 18 inches above a
charcoal fire, and twisted by sticks inserted at either end and operated
in opposite directions by two natives. As the melted lac oozes through-
the meshes of the cloth pipe, it is scraped off and passed to an operator,
who dexterously spreads it over an earthen jar filled with hot water.
The lac is then rubbed down with a cloth to an even surface and
stripped from the jar. The thick sheet of shellac is again heated before
the fire on both sides; then stretched and pulled in all directions by
hand, into a large sheet, then broken up and laid aside to season, pre-
paratory to shipment. The labor of 250 persons is required to finish 20-
cases in one day of 12 hours' work. Shellac is bleached by heating
10 parts of the orange shellac with 4 parts of soda in 120 parts water
in a copper kettle, and when dissolved, the liquid is filtered through
cloth into a wooden tub. Ten parts chloride of lime are mixed with a
solution of 10 parts soda in 200 parts water, and filtered into the shellac
and soda solution. When the two solutions have cooled .off, a smalt
portion of dilute hydrochloric acid is added, until some of the shellac-
separates ; then it is permitted to rest for a few days and the shellac-
precipitated with hydrochloric acid.

739 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED, 193

— 473 —
Method of Etching on Glass.

The liquid for etching on glass niay be made by mixing
three parts of sulphate of barium with one part of fluoride of ammonia,
and adding sufficient sulphuric acid to decompose the ammonium,
bringing the mixture to the consistency of rich milk. The mixture
must be made in a lead pan or leaden vessel and should be kept in a
bottle of lead or gutta percha.

P'luoric acid usally etches smooth, while other fluoric preparations
yield a matt surface. The most beautiful ornamentations are produced
when certain parts of the glass surfaces are rendered matt by the use
of fluoride of ammonium, that has been slightly acidulated by means
of acetic acid. The matt appearance is not always the same with dif-
ferent kinds of glass, but varies much in beauty according to the com-
position of the glass, lead glasses being most easily acted upon and
furnishing a fine matt surface.

When it is desired to have the surface of the glass not altogether
matt, but shining like ice, this may be attained in a simple manner by
placing the glass plate in a perfectly horizontal position and covering
it with fine groats. Then very dilute fluoric acid is poured upon it.
The groats act as a shield and produce upon the glass raised points,
grounds for etching may be prepared as follows :

White wax, 50 parts ; gum mastic, 25. parts ; asphaltum, 25 parts ;
melted together; or, white wax, 3 parts; black pitch, i part; rosin, i
part; asphaltum, 4 parts, also melted together. With either of these
grounds cover the glass surface, tracing the design upon it, and pour
on your etching fluid. If the first operation does not etch deep enough
repeat it until desired eflFect is obtained.

— 474 —

To Reduce the Cost of Shellac.

Rosin is the least costly and best article for the adulteration of
shellac. It is readily soluble in 95 per cent, wood alcohol, especially
when done in a water bath. With bleached shellac.

W. W. or W. G. rosin is the best grade, for orange shellac F or G
rosin will serve the purpose. If wanted to adulterate the gum shellac
itself, the shellac and rosin are simply melted together, brought into
desired shape and allowed to cool.

If desired to reduce the cost of shellac varnish it is best to dissolve
the shellac and rosin separately and, allowing the rosin solution to
settle, using the clear solution only to mix with the lac solution.

Wood alcohol shellac mixes readily with rosin and benzine liquid
(called rosin varnish here in the East and gloss oil in the West), and
many dealers sell such mixtures as shellac varnish.

It would be better, however, to make the experiment on a small scale
first and note the drying as against the true wood alcohol shellac. Tf
it dries too slow, you had better melt the rosin before dissolving it,
or use hardened rosin. If it sets up too quickly, a small percentage,
say, 5 per cent, of the quantity of rosin employed of gum, thus (galli-
pot, ink or crude turpentine) added, will slow it up.

194 739 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED.

— 475^
Cleaning of Painted Walls.

Plastered walls that have been painted can be cleaned satisfactorily,
providing the paint has not begun to perish. In cleaning a painted
wall it is best to have two men working together — one fol-
lowing the other. In this way there is not so much risk of spot-
ting or streaking. A stretch of three or four feet is as much as should
be done at a time. First dampen the wall with a sponge that has been
saturated with clean water; follow this with soap suds, made from
castile soap and warm water, applying same with a kalsomine brush,
scrubbing lightly. When the dirt has been softened in this manner,
scrub with a solution made by boiling the shavings of one pound of
<!astile soap in one-half gallon of water, stirring in two pounds of fine
bolted whiting, and allow to cool. Dip the brush into this mixture and
scrub, taking care not to scrub harder than is required to remove the
dirt. Sponge off immediately with clean, soft water and wipe down
with a wet chamois that has been wrung out. Avoid using too much
water but wring out sponge and chamois as often as possible, and
change the water quite frequently. Always begin at the bottom and
work up. Ceilings are cleansed in similar manner, and when the walls
or ceilings are smoky a little household ammonia added to the soap-
suds will add to their efficiency in removing the dirt.

— 476 —

Process of Making Chipped Glass Signs.

The work is done best by means of the sand blast, which up
to within a few years has been operated by air pressure, but
in recent years a patented device throws the sand against the glass by
a jet of steam, doing much cleaner work than the; blast worked with
fans, blowers or air compressers. In this device the stencils are made
from toughened paper, rubber or metal, and are fastened to the glass
with a cement or glue that is not injurious to the polish of the clear
portions and is easily removed by soaking with warm water. When
this machine is employed, the steam jet forces the sand against the
uncovered portions of the glass, but before it strikes the glass a counter
current of air drives back the steam, so that the sand is dry on action.

It is evident, however, that these machines are too costly for any
one who does not follow the manufacture of chipped, frosted, embossed
or split glass to any extent, and therefore we will consider the old-
fashioned method of 'producing a similar effect by the use of hydro-
fluoric acid. In the first place, the glass tp be chipped must be of che
best quality and free from flaws and blisters. The hydrofluoric acid
must be kept in leaden or gutta percha bottles, well stoppered with
rubber corks. The plate of glass must be well cleansed and wiped dry
and clean with tissue paper, and the letter or ornaments, that are to
remain clear, must be pounced on the reverse side, and then the glass is
laid flat on a suitable table with the side up that is to be operated on.
The letters and ornaments as outlined by the pounce are covered with
several coats of acid-proof protecting varnish, made from equal parts
of asphaltum and paraffine wax, melted together and thinned for

739 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED, igS,

spreading with turpentine. The edges must be clean cut and straight,
or the letters or ornaments will look ragged. This done, make a border
of soft beeswax around the edge of the glass to keep the acid from
running over the sides. Now pour in the acid, so that the parts to be
acted on are well covered, and let it remain long enough until it has
eaten well into the glass. Pour off the acid and rinse immediately
with clear water. Should the etching be too shallow, repeat the oper-
ation. When satisfactory, remove the wax border, as well as the pro-
tective varnish, which latter will come off readily by the use of benzine.
As stated, however, the work is better by far when done by means of
the sand blast, as it can be far better regulated at will and looks more
like true chipping.

— 477 —

Which Is Best, Liquid Filler or Shellac Varnish?

We would say that for ordinary work the commercial
liquid fillers are more economical and useful, especially for soft woods,
where beauty of the grain is of minor importance. However, where a
high finish and rich effects are looked for, it is advisable to use shellac
varnish instead of liquid fillers, which always produce a more or less
clouded effect and tend to yellow off in time.

— 478 —
Fire-Resisting Wash for Shingles.

We quote the following from the Scientific American of
several years ago : Dissolve in a barrel of hot water 20 pounds of zinc
sulphate, 20 pounds of powdered alum, 8 pounds of caustic potash, 8
pounds of oxide of manganese, and add 8 pounds of oil of vitriol. Pack
the shingles loosely into another barrel and fill up with the liquid, keep-
ing the shingles under the mixture by means of a weighted cover. Fill
the first barrel also with shingles, and allow them to soak for several
hours, then take them out and pile away to dry. Repeat this operation
until all the shingles are impregnated with the mixture. Use rubber
gloves for handling the shingles, and when laid on the roof coat them
with a suitable oxide of iron paint.

— 479 —

Size for Aluminum Bronze on Glass.

A sign writer wanted the best size for aluminum bronze for outside
lettering on windows. He puts the bronze on dry, using first coat
coach varnish, to which just enough yellow is added to color it the
least bit. He has good results, because it sets quick and lasts well, ex-
cept in cold weather, when it works too stiff. If thinned with turps it
does not stand well.

We think your method perfectly proper for that class of
work, but you must remember that a first coat coach varnish is not
considered a first-class article for wear and durability. It is simply a
filler for succeeding coats of varnish, and you should use what is known
to the trade as durable body varnish, and of this only the best-known
brands. This will work more freely, and can be thinned in cold

196 7i9 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED.

weather with a little turpentine without injuring its durability to any
great extent. We would advise you to add to the varnish a little white
lead in oil or flake white in japan, that has been tinted a very light
lead color with a touch of lampblack. A teaspoonful of this to a pint
of varnish is sufficient.

— 480 —

Dressing for Linoleum Cloth, Also Polish for the Same.

A thin solution of beeswax in spirits of turpentine rubbed over lin-
oleum will brighten its appearance.

A dressing for linoleum is made as follows: Melt over a moderate
fire 20 ounces of paraffine wax of the soft variety, add one ounce of
palm oil, and when both are well mixed take from the fire to a safe dis-
tance and add 4 ounces kerosene. Apply with a rag. The Pharma-
ceutical Era publishes the following formulas for polish for linoleum :

1. Melt one ounce of yellow beeswax and two ounces cafnauba wax
carefully; take from the fire and add 10 ounces turpentine and 10
ounces benzine. This is best accomplished in a water bath. Stir until
cold, then apply with a rag and polish.

2. Melt 5 ounces yellow beeswax, add 10 ounces turpentine, stirring
it well ; then add 5 ounces of amber of kauri varnish. Apply with a
rag and polish.

— 481 —

Painting Plaster Paris Casts a Clear White.

Plaster casts may be coated in many ways; small articles
may be coated and polished by dipping them in melted
paraffine wax, and then rubbed smooth. New casts may be
successfully coated and at the same time hardened by applying sev-
eral coats, with a soft brush, of a hot saturated solution of either
borax or alum, or a hot solution of chloride of barium, followed by
several coats of soap water, made with ivory or white castile soap. The
surplus soap i^then washed off, until the clear water forms beads on
the surface of the cast. These operations require but a few hours, and
produce a hard surface, whose substance is insoluble in water, and pre-
vent the yellowing off of the cast.

To protect plaster casts from soiling, they may be coated by means
of a soft brush with the following preparation : White soap and white
wax, one-half ounce of each, are sliced fine and boiled in two pints soft
water in a clean vessel until the soap and wax are dissolved. This
liquid must be applied cold, and it readily dries and does not sink in.
By going over it, when dry, with a silk handkerchief lightly, its effect
will be heightened. A delicate white finish may be given to old plaster
casts or statuary by cleaning the figure first with soapsuds, then rinsing
thoi^o^ughly with clear water and allowing it to dry. One coat of
French zinc white, ground in damar varnish, thinned with spirits of
turpentine, should then be applied, which will dry flat, over which an-
other coat of the same material may be given, to which more or less of
clear white damar varnish is added, according to finish desired.

739 PAINT QUESTfONS ANSWERED, 197

_48a —
Testing the Purity of Linseed Oil with Nitric Acid and Other Means.

The nitric acid test is really simple, but in the hands of
the novice rather non-conclusive and sometimes misleading. Equal
parts, say five cubic centimeters of the suspected oil and nitric acid of
1.40 specific gravity are placed into a glass test tube or convenient
bottle and shaken very thoroughly, then stood aside until two stratums
have formed in the tube on the separation of the oil and acid, which
will take place in from tdn to fifteen minutes, and the color of the two
strata is observed. When the oil is pure linseed, the upper stratum is
a light cinnamon brown, the lower colorless in the case of raw oil,
while in boiled oil, the upper stratum may be a trifle darker, but the
lower must also be colorless.

When adulterated with rosin oil, the upper stratum will be found
dark olive to black, and the lower from straw to orange, according to
the percentage of rosin oil that may be present. If 50 per cent, is
present, the upper stratum will be rather black, but as little as 10 per
cent, will be revealed by the dark olive color in the upper stratum and
the straw color of the lower one.

When fish oil is present, the upper stratum will vary from brown
to a brown black, the lower one from a light to a dark orange shade,
according to the quantity of fish oil. When linseed oil is mixed with
cottonseed oil, the upper stratum will turn reddish brown, the lower
one very pale yellow, more or less so, according to the quantity of
cottonseed oil present.

Linseed oil, adulterated with heavy mineral oil, will show similar
colored strata as rosin oil.

For the presence of corn oil, we have no information as to the result
of the nitric acid test, and would advise the moderate heating of rhe
suspected oil which, when corn oil is present, will emit a sweet, mealy
odor. By rubbing such oil briskly between the palms of both hands,
the odor will make itself plainly evident.

The same may be said of fish, rosin or mineral oils, while cottonseed
oil is more difficult to detect by these means.

A simple test for the practical painter, and one that cannot fail, is to
make a freezing mixture of ice and salt, in which a tube or bottle con-
taining a small portion of the suspected oil is inserted, together with
the point of a thermometer. If the suspected oil congeals, that is, as-
sumes a solid or butterlike consistency, before the thermometer indi-
cates 18 deg. below the zero mark, the oil is not pure linseed. Cotton-
seed oil congeals, or rather freezes at 6 deg. F. ; rosin oil at zero, fish
oil at the freezing point (32 deg. F.) ; rape seed oil at 25 deg. F.

All of the oils mentioned become much more sluggish than linseed
oil as soon as the temperature in which they are stored reaches the
freezing point, and in the cold season they only need to be exposed and
results noted. To determine exact quantities of adulteration, however,
the services of an expert analytical chemist are needed.

198 729 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED.

— 483 —

To Keep Venetian Red from Running on Second or Finishing Coat,

On painting a barn with Venetian red in oil, the first coat worked
well and stodd all right, but after applying the second coat, which
looked nice and smooth, the sun struck the surface and it began to run
until it was nearly all off. Five gallons of boiled oil were used to loa
pounds of the red, which had been successfully used on other jobs.
The painter asked whether plaster of paris could be used in the mixture
without injuring the wear of the paint.

We .would not recommend the use of calcined plaster, because
it will tend to the paint spotting white in case of rain, before
it has an opportunity to dry hard, and sometimes even long after it has
hardened. A good Venetian red that has been ground fairly fine in lin-
seed oil, raw or boiled, and is thinned to brushing consistency with
pure linseed oil and liquid drier or japan, will not run, providing the
first coat is similarly mixed and has dried. When lOO pounds of Vene-
tian red require only 5 gallons of oil for thinning, it must be pretty
coarse, inferior stuflF, loaded with barytes and cannot well stand any
more dilution with pigments like plaster, gypsum or whiting. A good
Venetian red will stand from 10 to 12 gallons of oil to every 109
pounds of paste, and not run when applied properly. Your case looks
to us as one where rosin oil was used instead of boiled linseed oil,
or else your red pigment was so coarse that oil would not birid it to-
gether.

When you have a case where good linseed oil paint runs or sags from
being mixed too thin, and you have nothing at hand to make it stout
enough to hold on, mix a little soda solution with your paint.

— 484 —

Finishing a Mahogany Counter Top in Wax and Stained a Deep Colon

Stain the top with a deep, rich, transparent red lake, or
with a mixture of burnt sienna and red lake, that have been ground
very fine in oil and thinned with japan drier and turpentine. When
this is dry, fill the surface in the usual way with paste wood filler that
has been colored with the same material as the one that your stain is
composed of. The richer and the more transparent these colors are,
the more enhanced will be the beauty of your counter top after it is
finished. Sandpaper lightly, when the filler has become hard. Dis-
' solve white beeswax in spirits of turpentine to buttery consistency and
apply one coat of same to the top with an ordinary varnish brush. Let
this coat get hard, but do not begin to polish. Instead apply another
coat and let this set up, then use a short bristle, stocky brush, some-
thing like a horse brush for polishing, which should be done with a
rotary motion, bringing the full force down upon the brush. If the job
does not look well with two coats of wax, give a third coat and polish
again. Windows and doors should be left open to allow the more rapid
evaporation of the turpentine. In our opinion, however, a varnish
rubbed polish is more serviceable for a library counter top than wax
polish, because the latter is always apt to be more or less sticky.

7S9 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED. ' 199

— 485 —

Painting the Galvanized Lining of a Water Tank to Prevent Corrosion.

If the water contained in tank is to be used for drinking
und cooking purposes, paint containing lead or lead salts must be
avoided. Ordinary oil or varnish paints will not stick to galvanized
iron on metallic zinc surfaces. Clean the tank thoroughly by scrub-
bing sides and bottom and allow to dry, then make a solution by dis-
solving 2 ounces each of chloride of copper, nitrate of copper and sal
ammoniac in I gallon of water, and add to the solution 2 ounces of
muriatic acid, and give the galvanized iron surface one full coating of
the solution, allowing 24 hours time, when any good paint will adhere
to it. Use two coats of zinc white in oil with manganese borate foi
drier.

— 486 —

Resinate of Lead and Resinate of Manganese.

Resinate of lead is prepared by melting either pale or dark rosin
and introducing into the melted mass under continued agitation with
an iron or steel stirring rod or paddle varnish makers' litharge, until
the mass becomes so stiff that it will take up no more and the lead
oxide is thoroughly mixed with the rosin, which can be ascertained by
dropping a portion of the semi-liquid mass on a strip of glass. As
much as 12 pounds of litharge may be thus taken up by 88 pounds of
rosin. To ascertain ^actually how much litharge should be used, it is
best to first make a batch with an excess of litharge, weigh out a small
portion 61 the resulting product, dissolve this in spirits of turpentine
and and determine the weight of the lead that settles out, which will
show the extent of the excess.

Resinate of manganese is made cheapest by using the powdered gray
or black oxide of manganese in the same manner as litharge is intro-
duced into the melted rosin, but the process is much slower, the man-
ganese being lighter in gravity and very apt to ignite and set the whole
mass on fire, unless the kettle is walled in. The limit is 7J pounds
manganese to 92J pounds rosin. Any excess of lead or manganese in
either of these resinates will precipitate on dissolving them in turpen-
tine or benzine.

— 487 —

Most Durable Paint for Smoke Stacks.

A certain brand of graphite paint was used for a smokestack, but did
not last long.

The stack paint you have mentioned is one of the best
preparations for that kind of work, but, of course, under very severe
conditions it is bound to perish, as it cannot be considered a baking
varnish, which is really the only coating that will stand great degrees
of heat. Much depends on the size of the stack, its diameter, etc., and
on the degrees of heat to which it may be subjected. We have seen
smoke stacks painted with ordinary pigments, such as mineral brown,
Venetian red or lamp black, where the paint has stood for years, while
others, that were painted with more costly preparations did not last a

200 739 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED,

year. A great deal depends also on the original preparation of surface,
as well as the binder in the paint.

For cheap work, a mixture of very finely powdered graphite and
liquid coal tar will do good service, but if a good, durable job is desired
a genuine asphaltum varnish, entirely free from rosin and benzine,
with pure linseed oil as the medium for spreading, and turpentine as
the solvent to which some high grade lamp black has been added, will
prove the most durable coating, when applied in two coats, each w^ell
brushed out. In smoke stack painting, the cost of material is very
small in comparison with the cost of application, therefore, it is folly
or misplaced economy to apply inferior material because of lesser
first cost.

— 488 —

Peculiar Case of Peeling OS of Paint on Exterior of Building.

Samples were submitted of thick layers of paint peeled from a house
that had been built five years before and painted by the contractors
with Indian red. When repainted with olive green, in little more than
a month, it peeled badly right to the wood.

We notice by examining the underside of the flakes of
peeled paint that the impression of the grain of the wood is plainly
visible on the red paint; that it is shining, as if the Indian red had
been mixed with varnish, and that it has retained "tack" for all these
years, simply because it was applied so heavy that the oil in the prim-
ing coat had no chance to dry thoroughly. To all appearances the
paint was entirely too stout for priming, and there was not enough
oil to penetrate into the wood to give a firm hold to the paint, and be-
sides the oil may have been fatty or inferior otherwise. But no matter
how pure the oil may have been, oxide of iron pigments generally, and
Indian reds in particular, have the tendency to become alternately soft
and hard as oil paints, according to weather conditions. That the red
paint did not peel oflF previous to repainting we believe was due to its
remaining rather soft and elastic. It certainly does not seem to have
had a good hold on the lumber, and it merely needed a good hard dry-
ing paint, like the olive green you applied, to take a grip on it and pull
it off. Your olive green acted in this case as an involuntary paint
remover.

— 489 —

How Should a Soft Pine Door Be Finished to Harmonize with Hard

Pine Woodwork?

We think the simplest way to accomplish this is to give
the soft pine door a few thin coats of orange or brown shellac or one
coat of orange shellac and a finishing coat of hard oil finish that is not
too pale, while the balance of the room that consists of hard pine,
should be given a coat of pale orange shellac and a coat or two of extra
light hard oil. It would hardly pay on cheap work to attempt to imi-
tate the grain of hard or yellow pine on a soft pine door.

739 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED. 201

— 490 —

How to Repaint a Badly Rusted Smoke Stack.

First of all the rust must be removed, which is done best
by the use of steel wire brushes of suitable size, aided by saturating the
incrustations with kerosene oil, which should be washed off with ben-
zine when the rust spots have been removed.

If a good, smooth job is wanted, badly pitted places in the iron sur-
face should be puttied up with a fairly stiff putty made of red lead,
whiting and boiled linseed oil. If the stack is not subject to too great a
heat and the expense not too much of an object, a coat of red lead in
oil, followed by a coat of pure lampblack in boiled oil, will stand best.
But if the stack becomes very hot when in use, so that oil paint is liable
to blister, we would recommend the use of genuine asphaltum varnish,
to which has been added some pure lampblack in oil or some of the
very finest dry graphite. If the asphaltum varnish is free from rosin
and made elastic by having been melted with the necessary portion of
prepared linseed oil and thinned with turpentine, it will bake on the
metal and stand very high temperature.

If not desirable on account of the corroded condition of the rnet?^
to go to much expense, one or two coats of black paraffine paint or
refined liquid coal tar, with or without the addition of fine, dry graph-
ite, will make a fine coating, but this material should not be laid on too
heavy or it is very apt to run down the stack in laps. For thinning
liquid coal tar or black paraffine paint turpentine may be employed,
but light tar oil is cheaper and serves the purpose as well, and the
brushes used can be cleaned in this solvent with best result.

_ 491 _

What Can Be Added to Paint to Keep Away Gnats During the Dry-
ing Process?

We have never heard of laurel oil and do not know its
characteristics, but have no doubt that it has a pungent odor similar to
cedar oil, whose odor is very effective in driving away moths. Oil ot
pennyroyal is very effective in keeping mosquitoes out of rooms when
kept in an uncorked bottle, but we have no knowledge whether the
odor of any of these oils would he strong enough in the open air to
keep the knats away from the paint while setting, as large quantities
could not be added to oil paint. Try cedar oil, which is inexpensive, or
spiritine oil.

— 492 —

Lime-Proof Greens for Kalsomining on Sand Finished Walls.

The commercial chrome greens, which are composed of
chrome yellaw and Prussian blue, with a mineral base, such as barytes,
gypsum or clay, are strongly acted upon by alkalies, which attack
both the yellow and the blue, turning the former to an orange and the
latter to a reddish brown, and therefore are not safe to tint kalsomine
with, especially when the material is used upon sand-finished walls.
Even the whiting used in the kalsomine will act upon the greens of
this composition, and for tints made with Prussian or Chinese blue or

203 739 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED.

chrome green it is best to omit whiting in making the kalsomine and
employ gypsum or china clay instead. If this plan is not feasible, how-
ever, then a limeproof green, such as Bremen green, ultramarine green
or aniline green should be used for tinting. Bremen green is a copper
green, and not affected by lime, but turns black in the presence of
sulphur gases, while ultramarine green is unaffected by lime and other
alkalies, as well as gases. In the aniline greens, lime-proof brands are
offered as substitutes for copper greens. An ideal green for use in
the presence of alkalies is the oxide of chromium green, known as
Guignet's green, but it is very high priced and does not give strong,
clear tints; neither can it be obtained in a variety of shades. Em'erald
or Paris green is too heavy a material and but a poor tintcr, nor does
it mix well with kalsomine. Ultramarine green, that can be obtained
in light and dark shades, strikes us as best for the purpose.

— 493 —

Washing Down and Revamishing Wall Papers.

If your wall paper has been varnished properly, you can
clean it by first dusting off with a counter duster and then washing
down with soapsuds and soft sponge, using a soft brush for extra dirty
spbts, but we would advise you to first try it on an outof-the-way
spot in order to see whether the paper will stand this treatment. If
it does, then proceed; but be very careful to sponge down with clear
water to remove all traces of soap, and dry with a chamois skin. Do
not soak the paper or let the water get back of it. When thoroughly
dry, the most economical method is to give a thin coat of damar var-
nish. It is, however, necessary to first make a test on a small patch to
see whether the varnish soaks into the paper, in which case a coat of
glue size must be applied first. This size is prepared as follows : For
an ordinary sized room, say, i6 by i6 by ii feet, take 2 pounds best
glue (gelatin in flakes) and boil same in sufficient water to make a
size that can be applied smoothly and evenly. Let this stand for 24
hours to harden, then apply a thin coat of white damar varnish. Wall
papers so coated may be washed with a soft brush whenever required.

To varnish wall papers that have not been varnished before, they
should be given two coats of the glue size referred to, and one thin coat
damar varnish. If they have been in use before varnishing and become
soiled, they should be cleansed in the usual way with stale bread or
bran.

— 494 —

Vellum, Its Origin and Value to the Painter.

Vellum is a fine kind of parchment prepared from the
skins of calves, lambs, or goat kids. The skins are immersed in iime,
then shaved, washed and stretched on frames, where they are scraped
and trimmed with the currier's fleshing knife. Next thy are carefully
rubbed to smoothness with pumice stone and finally polished with
French chalk or fresh slaked lime, finely sifted and then dried. A
bluish color is given them with a solution of indigo, while the green
color is produced from a solution of verdigris, to which a mordant or
fixative has been added. To produce a very fine, velvety surface, the

739 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED. 203

whites of eggs are employed and subsequnt friction. Vellum and
parchment are used by artists, as a painting ground for water colors,
when they wish to employ something more durable than the ordinary
sized paper, and Church, in his *'Chemistry of Paints and Painting,"
says that water color paints placed on vellum, parchment and ivory
sink either very slightly or not at all into their substance — a very few,
such as aureolin, strontia yellow and madder carmine, stain the super-
ficial layer. The old method of preparing vellum for the reception of
water colors consisted in rubbing the surface with very finely ground
bone ash, or with pulverized gum sandarac. Pumice stone or cuttle-
fish, reduced to a minutely divided state by grinding and sifting, also
answers the purpose. We, however, believe that vellum, as used at
present, is an intitation only of what it has. been and is manufactured
at the paper mills by modern process, similar to that of parchment
paper.

— 495 —
Enamel Top Dressing and Leather Carriage Top Preservatives.

The very best enamel top dressing that we know of, and
which is not so very expensive, is prepared as follows : Dissolve in an
iron kettle over a good fire, say, 25 pounds of high-grade asphaltum,
Syrian or Gilsonite, in one and one-half gallons of varnish makers'
litharge boiled oil ; add 50 pounds burnt Turkey umber, that is ground
fine in boiled linseed oil ; stir well, and add one and one-half gallons
more of varnish makers' litharge boiled oil ; then boil the mass until it
attains body, take from the fire, and when nearly cold, thin with stiffi-
cient quantity of turpentine to produce an easy flowing varnish or
enamel.

The varnish makers' boiled oil should contain from one and one-half
pounds to two pounds of litharge or red lead to the gallon of oil, and
be of heavy body. The boiling of the preparation should be done in a
moveable kettle and closely watched, as asphaltum and umber mixture
readily boil over. The operation should not consume over two and
one-half hours.

A good water-proof leather preservative for carriage tops is made as
follows, the parts referred to being all by weight: 18 parts of yellow
country meeswax are melted, and to this one part pulverized borax is
added, and the mass stirred until a thick jelly has formed. In another
kettle or pan 6 parts spermacetti is melted, and into this is stirred 5
parts of asphaltum varnish thinned with 60 parts spirits of turpentine,
then the wax and borax jelly is added and the whole mass thoroughly
stirred. Now 5 parts of vine black and 2 parts finely powdered Pras-
sian blue are rubbed smoothly with part of the mass and then added
to the same while still warm. Perfume with oil of myrbane (nitro-ben-
zol.) and put into well closed cans. Apply with a cloth in small quan-
tities, and rub out well, polish with a brush. Do not apply it too often.
• Mr. M. C. Hillick gives the following formulas for leather top pre-
servatives :

No. I. — Neatsfoot oil i pint, beef suet, 2 ounces. Melt the oil and
suet together. Then add a tablespoonful of melted beeswax, mixing all
well together, and bottle. The beeswax has a cooling property greatly
to be desired in a leather preservative.

204 739 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED,

No. 2. — Darken neatsfoot oil with drop black. Apply sparingly and
rub out with soft rags. This does not give the brilliancy of finish that
an enamel dressing does, but it gives to the leather a softness and
pliability that cannot be obtained otherwise.

— 496 —

• How Old Gilt Frames May Be Cleaned and Renewed.

Old gilt frames may be cleaned by simply washing them
with a soft sponge of suitable size wet with urine, hot spirits of wine
or spirits of turpentine. The sponge must not be too wet, simply
damp enough to take off the dirt and fly-specks. The frames must not
be wiped dry, but allowed to dry of themselves. If this does not make
them lustrous enough, the frames must be regilded, which is done by
making some thin size from parchment and mixing some of this warm
with water gold size, which is applied with a camel's hair brush in two
coats. When dry, it is rubbed down with very fine sandpaper and is
then ready for gilding. When the frame is covered, set it on its edge
to drain. When perfectly dry, dip a pencil into water and wipe the
gold over with it, which will take the surplus particles of gold off and
make it appear solid. For any parts not covered, take bits of leaf with
a dry pencil and lay on as before, then give the whole a coat of clear
parchment size, brush the back edges over with ocher and the frame is
ready.

— 497 —

Cause of Paint Cracking and Peeling on Weatherboarding.

The cracking and peeling of oil paint on exposed wood-
work may be attributed to several causes, chief among which are poor
material, undue haste in applying the paint and poorly seasoned lum-
ber. If the priming paint has been too brittle, cracking and scaling
is the inevitable result ; if the lumber is too green or one coat of paint
applied over the other before the latter has had time to harden thor-
oughly, peeling will surely follow.

When inferior oil and cheap japans are employed in the thinning
of the paint, or when the painter works on the idea that anything is
good enough for priming, he will have just such results as you
describe.

— 498 —

Cause of Paint Peeling from Galvanized Iron and How to Prevent It.

Galvanized iron and sheet zinc require similar preparation
in order to make oil paint adhere to the surface. It appears that
in contact with air zinc oxide is formed on the surface of the metal,
which throws off the paint in shreds or blotches a short time after it
has become hard.

We have found that a mixture of equal parts of pure red lead and
mineral brown by measure, thinned with equal parts raw linseed oil
and turpentine applied as a first coat, has given very durable results
in many instances, no matter what the finishing coat was composed of.
But the very best results are had if either of the following washes are
applied previous to first coating: Dilute muriatic acid is applied to

739 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED. 205

the surface, when muriate of zinc will form. That produces a film
upon the metal, which takes a very strong hold on the same, and upon
which oil paint will hold as well as upon black iron. Or two ounces
each of chloride of , copper, nitrate of copper and salammoniac are dis-
solved in a glass jar or earthen pot in one gallon of water and two
ounces of muriatic acid are added. Either of these solutions are ap-
plied to the surface with a wide, soft brush, and when dry it is ready
for first coating with any good oil paint.

— 499 —

How Pressed Wall Paper May Be Hung with Satisfactory Results.

Pressed or embossed papers will not stick well on a hard
wall, and here is where your trouble comes in. A double operation
is required for this class of work. The walls must first be lined with
brown paper, so as to give a more absorbent surface for the paste on
the pressed paper to obtain a hold, so that the pressed figures will not
be unduly moistened ot soaked.

Without this lining pressed or embossed paper will not adhere with-
out pressing down, which is the cause of obliterating the figures. The
ordinary wheat flour paste will serve well enough for pasting the
brown lining paper to the wall, but for the pressed paper the paste
must be made quite heavy. Each piece of embossed or pressed paper
must be trimmed with straight edge and knife before applying the
paste, and while this requires greater care in putting on the paste, it is
absolutely necessary, in order to get the paper on the wall quickly, be-
fore the paste has an opportunity to soak into the relief figures and
make them limp and flat. A very soft brush must be used in ap-
plying such paper in place of the stiflf brush or roller, and the seams
must be permitted to dry before using the seam roller, and even then
this roller must be used gently, because the color is apt to leave pressed
or embossed paper more readily than is the case with ordinary papers.
Do not attempt to press or stretch the paper.

— 500 —
Burnishing Gilding and Burnishing Size.

To burnish gilding successfully a good deal of experience
is required. The burnishers use either flint or agate, preferably flint,
and for different work they should be of different forms. When the
burnishing is done, those parts that have not been burnished must be
weak sized, that is, they are wetted with water in which just a trifle
of clear size has been melted, which helps to secure the gold. When
dry the gold is wiped with a piece of soft cotton wool to remove rough
or ragged edges of gold, and if any defects are now shown in the gilt
these must be corrected by cutting up a leaf in small shreds, laying
them on the defective places previously wetted with a camel's hair
pencil.

Burnishing size consists of such ingredients as pipe clay, red chalk,,
flake graphite, suet and bullock's blood, and can be purchased from
supply houses in the larger cities.

2o6 7 Si) PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED,

— 501 —

To Make Flour Paste That Will Not Liquefy.

The proper way to make the paste is to take two pounds best
wheat flour and one pound of starch, mix each separately in cold water
to a stiff batter, beating out all the lumps, then thin with more cold
water to a pudding-like batter, mix the flour and starch batters in a
pail; have some boiling hot water ready in which has been dissolved
one and one-half ounces of alum, which pour on the batter gradually
while stirring the mass vigorously until the paste swells and thickens,
meanwhile turning darker. It is now cooked. Should by any chance
the paste become too thin, it may be stiffened by cooking over a slow
fire.

— 502 —

What Is Burgundy Pitch and Canada Pitch?

Burgundy pitch is an impure rosin prepared from the spruce
fir of Norway. Canada pitch is pitch from hemlock spruce fir.
Burgundy pitch is imitated by melting ordinary rosin and linseed oil,
100 pounds of the former to one gallon of the latter, and enough an-
natto or palm oil to color.

— 503 —
Gilding on Brass and Copper.

The following formula is given by the Scientific Ameri-
can for water gilding brass or copper: Convert 6\ pennyweight of
fine gold into chloride and dissolve this in one quart distilled water,
then add one pound bicarbonate of potassium and boil the mixture for
two hours. Insert the articles to be gilded into the warm solution for
a few seconds up to one minute, according to the activity of the bath.
We presume, however, that the cross you wish to gild is too large to
place in a bath such as here described, but should think that the solu-
tion could be applied as a wash with the brush, and that, if repeated
several times, would serve the purpose.

— 504 —

To Clean Smoky Ceilings Preparatory to Painting in Distemper.

Would suggest to dry brush the ceilings well and wash
with a strong solution of pearlash and immediately sponge off with
clear water. When dry, give a thin coat of freshly-slaked lime, with
a fair portion of alum that has been dissolved in hot water added.
When this has dried hard, give a coat of size and proceed with the
water color.

In using the pearlash solution, the hands of the workmen should be
protected with rubber gloves.

— SOS-
Paint That Will Hold on Brick Walls Showing Efflorescence.

To make paint hold on brick walls that show efflor-
escence, it is necessary to first remove this white powder, usually

729 FAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED. 207

termed saltpeter, by washing with a mixture of muriatic acid and
water, equal parts, and at the same time scraping off all the loose paint.
When this has been done, sponge well with clear water and let the
brick dry thoroughly before painting. The painting should be done
after a spell of dry weather. It is a difficult matter to cure such walls
entirely, but when the salts have been neutralized by the means re-
ferred to and a few coats of good oil paint applied, allowing each coat
to dry hard before applying another, further exudation of soluble salts
will scarcely make themselves apparent.

— 506 —

Paint for the Outside of Walls of a Stone House.

We would advise you to use a strictly pure oil paint,
omitting turpentine, benzine, etc., entirely, and using only as much
japan as is absolutely necessary. For first coat we would suggest that
pure white lead, tinted to suit with oil color, be thinned with pure raw
linseed oil and a trifle of japan, and that this priming should not con-
tain over ten pounds of white lead and color to each gallon of oil and
japan, while in succeeding coat or coats not over five gallons of oil
and japan be used for 100 pounds pure white lead. Of course, if the
color is to be deeper than a light tint, then more oil will be required.
If the tint is to be very light or delicate, or if the paint is to be clear
white, about 15 per cent, zinc white may be added to the paint for the
finishing coat, which will give a cleaner tone and prevent possible
chalking.

— 507 —

How a Bright Orange Color May Be Made.

Red lead and yellow ocher will not make a good orange
color, as both are too dull. Your dark chrome yellow probably was
not strong enough to admit of white being mixed with it and the color
became too flat to meet your views. If you purchase a dark or orange
chrome yellow bearing the brand of any reputable color manufacturer,
you will most likely find it rich enough in tone to suit, and if not, you
can tone it with vermilion or red lake to deepen it or with a lighter
shade of chrome yelllow and white to make it paler. Should first cost
be too high for the work in hand, you can reduce by adding bolted
whiting or fine gypsum, as chemically pure chrome has great covering
power.

— 508 —

Refinishing Interior Woodwork, Now in Whitewood and Light Wal-
nut, in Cherry.

We should say that the best way to proceed is to thor-
oughly remove the varnish by means of strong aqua ammonia, to
v/hich a little turpentine is added, say one part turps to two or three
parts ammonia. This addition of turpentine will prevent raising the
grain of the wood and darkening it. When the varnish has been re-
moved in this manner, the surface should be washed down with clear
turpentine or benzine and permitted to dry. If during the process

3o8 7ip PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED.

some of the filler has also been removed, it is best to first stain the
wood with a cherry stain that is of good strength, and then refill the
wood with appropriate filler, smooth, sandpaper and revarnish. If you
wipe your stain at the proper time, we do not see why the natural
grain should not show through, providing you make your cherry stain
from a burnt sienna of good, rich transparency, enriched with some
orange lake or red lake. For this refinishing the stain should be
nearer mahogany than cherry to enable you to get what you desire,
but above all, the stain must be strong and rich, and wiped before it
sets up too much. A good pale interior varnish or first-class hard oil
finish seems to be the proper finish.

— 509 —

Softening Hard Putty and Taking Out Window Panes Without Break-
ing Sie Glass.

Take three pounds of quick stone lime, slake it with hot
water, then add one pound American pearlash. Have it in the con-
sistency of a soft paste, and apply it to both sides of the glass where
it is laid in the putty ; let it remain for twelve hours, when the putty
will be soft and the glass may be taken out without breaking. The
putty can then be. removed easily by scraping. Soda ash or caustic
soda may be used in place of the pearlash. When the putty has been
scraped off, the surface from which it has been removed should be
washed with vinegar and allowed to dry before the new glass is put in.

— 510 —
Cleaning Violins and Violin Bows.

For cleaning of violins, saturate a piece of soft silk with
ordinary paraffin oil and proceed to wash the violin with it. The ef-
fect is a quick one; the paraffin dissolves the crust of dirt and rosin,
cleaning the varnished surface without injury.

For the bow, take a small piece of flannel, wet with cold water, and
rub it well over with yellow soap, double it, holding the hair between
the finger and thumb, rub gently until clean, using plenty of soap ; then
rinse out the flannel, wipe off the soap, then wipe dry with a piece
of soft muslin or linen. In an hour the bow will be ready for the rosin.
The polished back of the bow may be cleaned with paraffin oil.

— 511 —

Sanitary White Paint for the Inside of a Wooden Tank Containing

Drinking Water.

In the first place the tank must be dry before it can be
fainted. When the wood is water soaked, paint will not adhere.
Naturally white lead in oil would be best for priming coat, but medical
authorities are opposed to the use of lead or lead salts in minute quan-
tities even. This leaves oxide of zinc as the only safe white pigment
that has covering power enough for the purpose, because some au-
thorities draw the line also against the insoluble lead sulphate and
against lithopone white. Zinc white, ground in pure raw linseed oil
and thinned with manganese boiled oil and some turpentine may be

7i9 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED. 209

employed as a coating without injury to the health of those using the
water.

— 512 —

How Many Square Feet of Surface Is a Man Able to Cover in a Day of

Nine Hours?
This question has too many sides to answer in these columns,
and it depends upon the class of work to be done. When a
painter works on a wall, where he can reach every portion from the
floor or at most from a low trestle platform, he can do more than when
he works from a ladder or a scaffold, and he can cover more surface
than when he paints window frames, sash-work, cornices, etc. We
should say that a painter with a full bristle pound brush can, on the
side wall of a frame building, cover 720 to 800 square feet, one coat, in
a day of nine hours and do it well, provided the paint works well and
he is not afraid of using elbow grease.

— 513 —

How Is Wood Polished?

There are various methods for wood polishing; the oldest method
known is oil polish, which is very simple. Apply either raw or boiled
linseed oil to the wood, but not in a heavier film than the wood can ab-
sorb. Take a heavy block of wood and nail a piece of felt to it or wrap
the felt around a square piece of stone and rub the surface until no-
more oil is to be noticed. Let this stand for a few days and repeat the
operation every few days until a satisfactory gloss is obtained.

This miethod, however, is very expensive and requires weeks, even
months, to accomplish the desired effect.

French polish, too, is very expensive and we would say that the
American method is the quickest and therefore least costly.

After the wood has been filled and varnished, the surface is rubbed
with pumice and water to a dead level and then well cleaned to prevent
scratches in polishing.

The quickest way to produce the polish is to take a handful of raw
cotton and dip it into a mixture of equal parts of refined cpttonseed oil
and alcohol and rub the job with a rotary motion and a fine luster will
appear shortly, and with a little skill on the part of the operator a fine
polish is the result.

— 514 —

Receipt for Making Terra Cotta Paint.

Two parts French yellow ocher and one part medium Venetian
red by weight will make a good terra cotta color, while five parts of
white lead,. mixed with one part of burnt Italian sienna, will produce a
strong terra cotta tint.

— Sis-
Green Stain for Woodwork.

To make a good green stain for woodwork take chemically pure
green, ground in oil, for the proper shade, and add japan sufficient to
make it dry and thin the resulting mixture with spirits of turpentine

2IO 739 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED.

or naphtha. If too bluish, add chrome yellow; if too yellowish, add
Prussian blue or drop black, or both blue and black. If the stain is
strong, thin it out more. Fine green stains may be produced from
aniline greens, but they are not fast to light, as a rule.

—516-

Painting in Imitation of Granite.

If you wish to imitate the gray granite, have your ground color
light gray or light lead. Mix your black and white for spattering with
enough turpentine so that they will not run and spatter, first with
black, then with white, by striking the brush against a heavy stick,
which is held close up to the work. The brush should be stubby and
broad, and must not be too full or it will make blotches. This method
is much quicker and does not require as much skill as stippling with
a sponge, and both colors can be spattered on one after the other with-
out waiting for the first to dry.

To imitate red granite, the ground should be a salmon tint, made
from white ocher and Venetiati red, while the spatter colors are black,
red and white, and are applied as described in the method of imitating
the gray granite.

— 517 —
Rough Plastered Walls and Ceilings That Are Spotted and Water

Stained — How to Proceed in Repainting in Water Colors.

In the first place, you should tell the trustees of the church that they
must have the roof looked after, as well as the gutters or valleys of the
same, or you cannot guarantee to keep back the stains.

To prepare such walls and ceilings as you describe for repainting,
broom them down, fill in the cracks in the usual manner and give the
ceiling a thin coat or wash of clear whiting and water, which will bring
out all the hidden water stains on drying. If the stains are bad, a coat
of a mixture made of equal parts boiled oil, japan and turpentine must
be applied over the stained surface, followed by a coat of shellac var-
nish and a thin coat of flat lead. If the stains are light only, a coat of
shellac varnish and a coat of flat lead will hold them back.

The coat of flat lead must be given because water color is liable to
scale when applied directly over varnish. For cheap work, a coat of
wall or ceiling varnish (sometimes termed suction varnish) will serve
the purpose as well as shellac, but for the reasons mentioned above the
coat of flat lead should not be omitted.

The parts of ceiling where there are no stains and the walls should
be washed down, permitted to dry and sized with a soap, alum and
glue size, made in these proportions. One pound of good. white glue
is soaked in a quart of water, then dissolved in boiling water, one
pound bar soap is also dissolved in one quart of boiling ivater and two
pounds of pulverized alum in one quart boiling water. The glue and
soap water are then mixed and to this is added slowly, accompanied
by continued stirring, the alum solution. Add enough water to make
of the consistency of thin syrup. Water colors will work freely on
this size and the result will be uniform.

739 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED. ' 211

— 518-

Cheap Oils for Roof Painting.

Rosin oil will probably last for two years as a paint when mixed with
mineral paint that has been ground in linseed oil to a paste, but we
doubt as to whether the tin roof will last that long. Rosin oil,
thinned with one-fourth of its volume of benzine (naphtha) 62 deg.,
will work freely and hold on well to tin when used with mineral paint,
but it will alternately become hard and soft, according to the condi-
tions of the atmosphere. When tempered with a small portion of
japan drier and about 20 per cent, of raw linseed oil, it will stand for
about two years on tin or iron, but the surface must be free from rust.

There are numerous paint and putty oils offered, and some of these
will no doubt do the work desired. A new tin roof costs more than ten
times the value of the paint applied upon it, and if the roof rusts and
goes to pieces in two years, such paint is dear at any price and the
painter will find it so to his sorrow.

— 519 —

Apparent Causes for White Lead and Zinc Paint Turning Black in

Streaks.

A new building was painted with two coats of white lead and lin-
seed oil ; turpentine in second coat, but no driers in either coat. In the
last coat, 20 per cent, zinc white was used. In two weeks the building
was badly streaked with black, especially the porch posts. The
weather had been damp and rainy. There were no trees near the
house and no smoke to amount to anything within a mile ; but, when
the painting of the house was nearly completed a 36,000-barrel oil tank,
two miles away, was struck by lightning.

When painting in damp weather it is always more safe to use a
moderate quantity of driers in oil paint in order to make it dry harder,
so that the finished surface is not so liable to take up the dust from
sudden storms, and the precipitate from smoke. To all appearances
the smoke from the burning oil has caused the streak, and it might be
well to try a little weak soapsuds with a sponge on some of the black-
ened portion of the paint to see whether the blackening is only super-
ficial oi* whether it extends all the way through the coating of paint.
We know of the experience of a painter who painted a frame house in
white, which was nearly three miles from a lampblack factory. After
applying the finishing coat and before the paint had well dried, a
storm carried the smoke and soot over the surrounding country, giv-
ing the house in question the appearance of a salt and pepper suit.
However, we will not insist that it was the effect of the smoke from
the burning oil, and should like to know what brand of zinc white was
used, as we have a strong suspicion that lithopone white, a sulphide
of zinc and barium sulphate combination, is sometimes sold as zinc
white, and we know that this material, when mixed with white lead,
will streak black on exposure.

212 739 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED,

— 520 —

Brick Paint to Pencil Over and to Wear Well.

You can buy flat brick paint in any shade of red or Milwaukee brick
color in paste form, and all you require is to thin it with turpentine so-
that it will dry flat when applied over a ground of oil paint of similar
color. You can pencil this without trouble with white lead in oil and
turpentine for white joints, or with drop black or lampblack in oil and
turpentine for black joints. If you do not care to purchase the pre-
pared flat brick paints, you can mix the desired color yourself by mix-
ing stiff ground Venetian red and yellow ocher with japan and tur-
pentine for flat brick red, and white lead, yellow ocher and a little raw
umber for Milwaukee flat brick color, also thinned with japan and
turpentine. Whether this paint will wear well depends upon the elas-
ticity of the ground coats, of which there should be two for unpainted
brick surface.

— 521 —

How Pine Tar or Coal Tar Paint May Be Thinned So as to Spread

Without Heating.

If your tar paint consists of pine tar, use spirits of turpentine to re-
duce it to free spreading consistency. Do the same if it is a mixture
of pine tar and coal tar. But if it is straight coal tar dilute it with oil
of tar, the so-called light oil or creosote oil.

— 522 —

Stopping or Waterproofing a Wooden Tank Without Injury to the

Water.

No nuatter what material you are going to use it will not adhere or
serve the purpose, unless the tank is drained well and premitted to dr>'
out thoroughly. Then the hoops must be tightened and the inside be
given a coat or two of hot paraffin oil or melted paraffin wax, applied
hot. This done, give the iron or steel hoops a coat of red lead and the
outside of the tank one or two coats of good, elastic oil paint of any
color desired. This is the best suggestion we have to offer for this
class of work.

— 523 —

How Brass or Copper Signs Are Made.

This work is done by etching with acid. To make a brass sign, pro-
cure the suitable metal, clean the surface and paint it with asphaltum
varnish, leaving the letters or ornaments unpainted. Put a border of
soft beeswax around the edge high enough to hold the acid. Dilute
nitric acid with five times the quantity of water and pour this diluted
acid on the surface about one-quarter inch deep. When the letters
are cut in deep enough, which must be ascertained by trial, the acid
must be poured oflF and the plate cleaned by repeated heatings and
wiping and finally washed with turpentine. The letters may then be
filled in with a cement, made by mixing equal parts of asphaltum,
shellac and lampblack, which is melted in by heating the plate and

ZS9 PATNT QUESTIONS ANSWERED, 213

smoothed over with a hot sad iron. When the cement is hard, the
sign may be polished.

Copper signs are more difficult to prepare, and unless one has ex-
perience in that line he had much better not try the experiment. The
surface must be prepared first by cleaning it with photographer's
emery paper, then a solution of yellow beeswax in turpentine, de-
canted until no sediment remains, with one-eighth of its volume of
japan varnish, is used as a ground for etching. This solution must be
applied hot, as a bath, in a porcelain dish to the plate until the color
of the plate darkens uniformly, for if one bright spot remains it shows
that there is a grease spot still left, and all must be gone over again.'
When the etching ground has dried, the surface must be smoked with
twisted tapers, holding the plate upside down; then it is dried and
ready for the etching. The letters are hiarked out by removing the
ground with steel needles or steel points. Needles are, of course,
used only for very fine lines, while appropriate steel points are used
for the heavy lines or letters.

The etching fluid is variously described in the following formulas :

Lalanne recommends: Nitric acid, 40.0, mixed with equal quantity
of water, adding bits of scrap copper.

Another suggests: Nitric or sulphuric acid, one part; saturated
solutions of bichromate of potash, two parts; water, five parts.

While we do not desire to deter the progressive painter from ex-
perimenting, we rather think that this kind of work had best be left
in the hands of those who make a regular business of it» as it is a waste
of time for a busy man to engage in undertaking to make copper
signs, when they can be obtained at a much lower figure than the ma-
terials required would cost the experimenter.

— 524 —

Best Method of Laying Patent Gold Leaf on Wooden Surfaces.

Patent gold leaf is used exactly in the same manner as the regular
leaf. It is only prepared so as to save the leaf when gilding is done
outdoors, and awnings need not be erected to keep the leaf from blow-
ing away. It is so put on that the adhesion to the size is greater than
to the leaf of paper, and so comes off onto the work as desired. In lay-
ing the leaf use the ordinary size and proceed in the usual way.

— 525 —

How the Settling of Enamel Paint May Be Prevented Without Im-
pairing Drying Quality.

Not knowing the composition of your white enamel, it is difficult for
us to say what you should use to keep it in suspension. Enamel paints
that are well made, as a rule, do not require frequent stirring and do
not tend to settle to any extent in the can or other package.

The rapid settling may be due to the use of one or more pigments of
heavy specific gravity, such as white lead and barytes or lithopone, or
it may be due to the use of varnish of light body. In either case, the
remedy is to add a pale varnish of very heavy body, which you know
to be a quick drying medium.

214 7S9 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED.

If you make your own white enamel and intend it for interior work
only, use the best French zinc, ground in damar varnish, break up the
paste to the consistency of flour paste batter with turpentine, and add
sufficient of the best white enamel varnish obtainable to make a free
flowing paint of good gloss. To make one gallon will require one ten-
pound can of French zinc in damar, less than one-half pint turpentine
and about one-half gallon white enamel varnish. In every case the
enamel should be strained through a fine wire sieve or through cheese
cloth. Enamel paint made on this plan will not settle readily and may
be rubbed down with pumice and water in 48 hours, or with pumice
and crude oil in from 72 to 96 hours. For exterior work, a first class
white enamel of great durability can be made by using equal parts of
flake white in japan and French zinc ground in damar, thinning in
similar manner, with the exception that the varnish employed should
be a very pale outside varnish.

— 526 —
How Dry White Lead Is Pulped and Ground in Linseed Oil.

When white lead corrosion has been accomplished and the coarser
particles of uncorroded metallic lead have been removed in the separat-
ing apparatus, it is put through rollers and passed into screens that
revolve under water, so as to prevent the raising of dust, and in this
manner is freed from the finer particles of metallic or uncorroded lead,
the so-called trailings, which are used in the manufacture of oxide of
lead. Through an opening in the bottom of the tank, in which the
second screening takes place, the white lead and water together pass
into the hopper of a burr mill, which grinds the material to impulpable
fineness and passes it into a series of floating tanks, the finest lead
being carried to the farthest of the tanks, the coarser being deposited
in the tanks nearest the mill.

In this way the lead becomes "pulped'* and is run off or pumped into
large tanks, when it is agitated by compressed air, allowed to settle
and the clear water drawn oflF. Then more clear water is allowed to
run into this tank, and the pulp stirred again and this process is re-
peated, until all traces of acetate of lead are eliminated by this so-called
washing. The pulp is then either placed on drying pans for the pro-
duction of dry white lead, which is afterward sold dry or mixed with
linseed oil and ground on burr stone or roller mills, or it is allowed
to run into long cylinder-shaped mixers in vertical position, that have
a stirring device suited to the purpose. When this is in operation, the
required quantity of pure linseed oil (no other oil will do it), is allowed
to run in, and in a short time the lead and oil mix and unite in the bot-
tom of mixer, leaving the clear water on top. After this water has
been drawn oflF, a gate in the bottom of the mixer is opened and the
lead and oil mixture run oflF into a cooler, where a trifle more oil is
added, which expels the remaining water, that is also drawn oft.
Now the mixture is run through a mill, preferably a roller mill, and
the product is finished. White lead in oil ground in this manner has
been designated as "pulp ground lead,*' while that ground from the
dry lead has been known as "dry ground." The latter may always be

739 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED, 215

recognized by more or less clear oil being found on top in opening
package, while separation of oil rarely takes place in the "pulp ground"
article.

— say-
Preventing and Curing Mildew or Mold in Basement Walls.

House mildew or mold, is the hardest of all fungus growth to pre-
vent or to cure, because it is caused by dampness in the foundation
walls and lack of proper ventilation. By placing about a few deep
plates or pans of quick lime, renewing the same as often as it becomes
slacked, in damp basements, closets or cellars, the appearance of mil-
dew or mold may be prevented and sometimes it may effect a cure, es-
pecially when not too deep rooted. In your case the usual remedy,
i. e., a wash with muriatic acid would hardly answer, because the sur-
face is painted, nor would melted paraffin, applied hot, do much good,
because this remedy is efficacious only when applied to the bare wall
and worked in with a paint burner.

Dr. Theo. Koller, in "Die Mappe," says : As to paraffin, there is not
a more elastic material which protects more against dampness and
atmospheric influence than this product of petroleum. As the
cheapest kind of paraffin may be used for the purpose, cost need not
be an obstacle in its use. One part of paraffin, melted in three parts
of heavy coal tar oil in a water bath is a superior medium to coat
foundation walls or any part of a building exposed to dampness or
other atmospheric influences. To have this solution of paraffin and
coal tar oil in proper condition for application, put the vessel contain-
ing it into a large vessel of hot water, same as you would melted glue,
and apply several coats with large wall brushes.

— 528 —

White Ocher, Its Origin and Composition.

We have no exact data at hand as to the origin of the term white
ocher, and our earliest recollection of its existence dates back about
twelve years, when it made its first appearance in some Western
towns. It is now generally sold by jobbers as white or priming ocher,
and is, no doubt, another fancy name, invented by some enterprising
paint grinder or salesman for one of the so-called combination leads in
which pure lead is conspicuous only by its utter absence. The com-
position, so far as the pigment is concerned, consists of barytes chiefly,
with a small portion of zinc white or lithopone, or probably sublimed
lead to give some whiteness to the mixture. The percentage used of
these pigments vary with the selling price, as does also the quality of
oil in which the pigments are ground. We will not go far astray if we
place the percentage of barytes at from 75 to 90 parts of the total pig-
ment, arid also in saying that most of the brands contain only small
amounts of pure linseed oil, balance being cottonseed or mineral oil.
These so-called white ochers being sold mainly for priming purposes,
as they would have but very inferior body for finishing paints, you
can readily see what little real value there is in them, and a painter
who values his reputation and who is intelligent enough to figure costs
of material comparatively, will steer clear of such products. Try it

2i6 7S9 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED.

for yourself ; ask your supply house to obtain a 25-pound can and make
a test against pure lead or pure zinc white by mixing each with the
requisite amount of thinners and spread the resulting paints over any
given surface. As you have handled yellow ochers for years, you
know that pure French or American ochers consist of oxide of iron,
silica and alumina, and that they never contain barytes. Therefore, if
there were any white ochers in existence, they would contain neither
oxide of iron, nor any barytes, and the nearest natural mineral that
might be classed as white ocher v/ould be kaslim, or China clay.

— 529 —

Imitating Ground Glass on Ordinary Window Panes Without Re-
moving Same.

In order to roughen the glass by means of acid, you will have to re-
move the sash and lay it on trusses horizontally, clean the glass
thoroughly on the side to be operated on, then moisten the panes all
over with white, or French acid. When roughened sufficiently, wash
thoroughly with clean water.

To imitate ground glass cheaply, there are several methods. The first
of these is made known by Leon Vidal, and consists of a varnish made
as follows: Eighteen parts of gum sandarac and 4 parts of gum
mastic are dissolved in 200 parts ether, to which is added 100 parts
coal tar benzol. The glass is thoroughly cleaned and the varnish ap-
plied until the desired effect is produced.

Another method which steam vapors will not affect or destroy, is to
put a piece of glazier's putty into muslin, then twist the fabric tight,
until it has the form of a pad. Clean the glass well first, then pound it
lightly with the pad, from which sufficient of the putty will exude to
render the stain opaque. Let it dry hard and then give it a coat of
pale, durable varnish. If a pattern is required, cut it out of paper
as a stencil ; place it so that it will not slip and proceed as above. If
letters or ornaments are too clear, cover same with opaque varnish.

— 530 —

Chipped Glass Sign Effects Produced by the Use of Acid.

We have plainly stated that the best chipping is done with the im-
proved sand blast, but in giving the older methods for the benefit of
those who cannot use the sand blast, we have omitted several im-
portant points. The chipped effect can be produced, as you say, by
applying hot glue to ground glass, and it can also be produced in
similar manner when the glass has been treated with white or French
acid, which you can obtain from any druggist, and gives a perfectly
matt surface, similar to ground glass. This acid consists of one part
by volume of fluoric acid and two parts by volume of liquid ammonia
and must be used without any addition of water.

If, however, a clear chipped glass design is wanted, the surface must
be first treated with hydrofluoric acid to eat off the enamel, then rinsed
and allowed to dry. Then the glass is covered with fine groats, using
the protecting varnish referred to for the purpose, and when the groats
are dry, very dilute fluoric acid is poured upon the plate. The groats

7S9 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED, 217

act as a shield and produce the raised portions seen in chipped glass.
When the acid has eaten deep enough in the unprotected portions of
the surface^the acid is poured off, the glass thoroughly rinsed and the
protecting film removed with benzine or turpentine.

— 531 —

Freehand Relief on Canvas-Covered Walls — How to Prepare.

If the canvas-covered walls are well painted, a flat coat of paint is all
that is required to hold the relief work, but if the canvas is absorbent,
a size composed of equal parts linseed oil, drier and turpentine must
be applied in order to give the relief a good hold. In other words, it is
necessary to stop suction, and the size mentioned is best adapted to the
purpose. Where absorption is very much in evidence, hard oil may be
used, but glue size should be avoided.

— 532 —

Oil Drier That Will Not Change the Color of Oil Paints.

The use of alkalies is unnecessary in the manufacture of driers, and
is only resorted to in very cheap grades, in order to give additional
hardness at lowest possible cost or in order to harden the rosin used in
preparing cheap driers. Good oil driers should be free from any sort
of gum, and especially free from rosin. To make a good oil drier of
medium color, which will not materially affect the color of oil paints,
the following ingredients are best adopted :

Twenty gallons of well-settled raw linseed oil.

Twenty pounds red lead.

Twenty pounds litharge, powdered.

Ten pounds white sugar of lead.

The oil is first heated to the boiling point, and the lead oxides and
lead acetate introduced gradually, while the oil is being constantly
agitated. The temperature should not be allowed to rise above 250
deg. C. at any time, or the product will be too dark. When the mass
has assumed a bronze brown color and become rather viscid, a sample
is put on a strip of glass and on cooling it must harden free of tacki-
ness. On reaching this stage the kettle is removed from the fire and
before the mass has cooled off too much, it is reduced to liquid form
with spirits of turpentine, of which about 40 gallons are needed.

For a pale drier borate of manganese is substituted for the lead
oxide, and for 20 gallons of linseed oil 10 pounds borate of manganese
and 10 pounds white sugar of lead is sufficient, and the temperature
in boiling should not be allowed to rise above 220 deg. C. This re-
quires to be heated for a longer period, but the thinning is to be done
as above.

— 533 —

Refining and Bleaching Raw Linseed Oil for Use in Grinding White

Lead.

We do not know of any process that will bleach linseed oil white
unless by a very slow method, which takes too long to admit of using
it in manufacturing on a large scale. This is bleaching by sunlight, *

218 729 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED,

and is all right for the purposes of the artist or small painter. The
bleaching process by the use of chlorines is not a safe one, as the
bleached oil. cannot be freed entirely from the chemical. 'Pure white
lead acts itself as a bleaching agent on the oil ; when air is admitted
and when white lead is ground in raw linseed oil and thinned with
raw oil for exterior work, it will, although of a creamy yellow color
on first application, bleach out white in a very few weeks. For in-
terior work, of course, it is best to have the lead ground in refined or
bleached oil, especially where the work is to dry flat. But even here
it is not necessary to have the oil water white, it being sufficient,
when the oil has had all albuminous and mucilaginous matter removed
by refining and has assumed a very pale greenish or yellowish color.
This stage can be attained in a large way by the sulphuric acid treat-
ment. Be it remembered, however, that only the pressed oils can be
thus treated with success; extracted oils are too light in body to be
decolorized by such a method. These will become darker and redder
in contact with acid.

The apparatus necessary to refine oil consists of two oblong wooden
boxes, which are set on top of one another, that on top being about
one foot shorter than the other, both of sufficient width and depth to
hold a given quantity of oil. They must be lined inside with sheet
lead all over, bottom and sides, and the bottom of each is to be tri-
angular in shape, in the center of which is a perforated lead pipe for
the purpose of agitating the oil in the top box and of washing the
treated oil in the bottom box with steam. Over the top box runs a
perforated lead pipe coil, with a leaden funnel attached. There are
spigots attached to the boxes, the one in the top box for the purpose
of draining the treated oil into the bottom box, and two spigots in the
bottom box, one about a foot above the bottom, to draw off the clear,
refined oil, and one at the bottom to draw off the water from the con-
densed steam which has collected in the bottom of the box. The top
box IS termed the treating tank, the lower one the washiijg tank.

The treatment consists in the following: Well settled raw linseed
oil is placed into the treating tank to within a foot of the top, and the
oil agitated by compressed air, supplied from a rotary pump or other-
wise, and sulphuric acid of 66 deg. Beaume (oil of vitriol), slowly dis-
tributed over the surface of the oil so that no charring can take place,
by means of the perforated lead pipe, the acid being poured into the
leaden funnel. One pound of acid is generally sufficient for every lOO
pounds of oil, and when all the acid is distributed the agitation is kept
up for from six to eight hours. After resting for twelve hours, the
scum is removed and the oil tested, which should have a greenish color,
in an ordinary test tube. Now the oil so treated is run off into the
washing tank and the steam turned on, so as to agitate the oil with
moderate violence. This should be continued for a whole day and the
scum forming on top removed from time to time. The steam is turned
off in the evening and the oil allowed tb rest during the night. Next
morning steaming is started again and continued for another day.
Now the oil is tested for remaining traces of acid by m'eans of litmus
paper, and, if traces of acid are still found, the water is drawn off
through the bottom spigot, and steaming resorted to again. To neu-

739 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED. 219

trAlize any remaining traces of acid, a small quantity of lime water
is put into the washing tank during the last steaming. The oil is now
pale, but still turbid, and before use should be drawn off into settling
tanks that are open at the top to admit light and air, when the oil will
be clear and fairly well bleached inside of ten days.

— 534 —

Refilling the Black Letters in Brass Signs.

Clean all the old black out of the letters carefully, then heat the plate
and melt black sealing wax into the letter spaces. Even the surface
with a warm sad iron and scrape off the surplus. Finally hold a warm
sad iron over the letters to bring out the glaze. A cement, which is
used in the same manner as the black sealing wax, is made by mixing
equal parts of asphaltum, shellac and lampblack, and melting this in
the letters. Still another filling is mjade by taking equal parts of as-
phaltum, varnish and brown japan, with enough dry'lampblack to form
a stiff putty, which is pressed into the spaces with a putty knife and
the edges cleaned off with turpentine. When the filling is dry the
wholeplate may be polished. The cement described first hardens as
the plate cools off ; the last one requires a few hours to become hard
enough to polish over.

— 535 —

How English and American Vermilion Should Be Mixed for Sign

Work, so as to Insure Good Wear.

English vermilion (or quicksilver vermilion) is sulphide of mercury,
and very easily affected by strong light, which in time will turn it very
dark, no matter how well protected by varnish. The pale shade will
darken much more rapidly than the deep shade. There is no protec-
tion against that; it is in the ^nature of the material.

American vermilion, or chrome red, is the basic chromate of lead,
and while it is a good wearing pigment it soon loses its original scar-
let red color and turns to a dull brown on exposure to strong light.
Good, durable outside varnish will protect both of these vermilions
from too rapid darkening, but cannot arrest the change for any great
length of time. We do not think that varnish should be used in mixing
either of these for sign grounds, even when the signs are to be var-
nished over, and would suggest the use of one part of a good drier,
five parts of pure raw linseed oil and four parts of turps. Or, if you
have a strong drying boiled oil, omit the drier and make your thin-
ners from three parts of this boiled oil and two parts turpentine.
Mixed in this way, either English or American vermilion will flat
sufficiently to be varnished over and contain enough binder to wear
well, provided the oil is of good body and the turpentine strictly purt.

The lasting quality or durability of the paint will depend largely
on the quality of the varnish that is placed over it, and the permanency
of the color depends to a great extent on the degree of exposure which
the signs will be subjected to.

The use of both English and American vermilion has, for some years
past, been very much curtailed by the substitution of the so-called red
lead and eosine vermilion, which, however, instead of darkening, for

220 739 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED.

the most part fade or bleach very quickly on exposure. If you are
looking for something more unchangeable than either of those men-»
tioned, we should advise you to try some of those non-fading or per-
manent reds or vermilions that have been so largely offered to the
trade of late.

— 536 —

Staining Woodwork with Acids.

For staining wood brown, sulphuric acid, more or less diluted, ac-
cording to the depth of stain desired, is applied to the wood, previously
cleaned and dried with a brush, and when the acid has acted enough
its further action is arrested by the application of liquid ammonia.

To age oak artificially, liquid ammonia is laid on with a rag or brush,
which does the work rapidly and effectually.

To darken cherry, rub it over with nitric acid of 1.2 specific gravity,
and after permitting it to stand for twelve hours, wash and dry thor-
oughly. Nitric acid gives a permanent yellow stain, which may be
converted into dark brown by subsequent application of tincture of
iodine.

A hot, concentrated solution of picric acid gives a very fine yellow
effect. Aquafortis, diluted with three times its own weight of rain
water, brushed over the wood, gives a more true yellow effect than
the undiluted nitric acid (aquafortis).

A bright golden yellow stain is made by digesting one-half ounce of
powdered madder for twelve hours in two ounces of sulphuric acid
and then filtering through cloth. The articles to be stained should be
immersed in the fluid for three or four days.

— say-
How to Prepare Color, or Paint, that Will Not Crack or Peel Off Rub-
ber Cloth of Carriage Tops.

Make a mixture of one gallon best body finishing varnish and one-
quarter-pound yellow country beeswax that has been dissolved by
heat (in a water bath) in one pint of pure spirits of turpentine. Be-
fore mixing the two, the varnish should be placed in a tin can which
is also warmed up in hot water, so as to iTiake the solution of bees-
wax and turpentine amalgamate more intimately with the varnish.
Now break up two pounds of drop black, ground in japan or rubbing
varnish with enough spirits of turpentine, then gradually, while con-
stantly stirring, add the mixture of finishing varnish and beeswax so-
lution. If this does not flow out well from under the brush, add more
turpentine until it does. As a matter of course, before this preparation
is applied the rubber must be well cleansed by sponging with soap and
water, rinsed with clear water, dried with a chamois skin and allowed
to dry thoroughly afterward. If any other color than black is desired,
mix in a similar manner as that above given, changing proportions to
suit the nature of pigment composing the color employed.

T39 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED. 221

— 538 —

Size for Rough Plastered Wall that Will Prevent Water Colors from

Spotting Out.

The best cheap size for plastered walls that are to be painted in
water color is made as follows :

Dissolve in five gallons of boiling water twelve ounces of sal soda
and four ounces of borax, then, when the crystals are fully dissolved,
add, while stirring, one pound of window glass rosin> that has been
dissolved in eight ounces of benzine, boil all until the rgsin is dissolvea.
Thin one pound of the resulting composition with three and three-
fourths gallons of soft water and mix the solution so made with a so-
lution made by dissolving two pounds of glue in four gallons soft water
and boil the two solutions together for thirty minutes, then run
thrbugh a paint strainer.

Or you may use so-called suction varnish or wall varnish, which is
sold at a low price for this very purpose by many varnish makers.
Soap and alum size is not the proper material for rough plastered walls
and a coat of boiled linseed oil is preferable by far. ^

— 539 —

How to Make Aquarium Cement or Putty.

The best cement for this purpose has been used with success for
many years at the Zoological Gardens, London, and consists of the
following: One-half pint by measure each of finely powdered litharge,
fine, white, dry sand and plaster of paris, and one gill of finely pow-
dered rosin are intimately mixed with boiled linseed oil and some paste
drier and beaten thoroughly into a putty-like mass, which is allowed to
stand about four hours before it is used. But it must not be allowed
to stand over twelve hours, as by that time it begins to lose strength.
This putty will resist b6th fresh and salt water. It is best, however,
not to use the tank or aquarium for two or three days.

Klein gives the following as a good cement for aquariums: Mix
equal parts by measure of sublimed sulphur, pulverized sal ammoniac
and finest iron filings with a strong boiled linseed oil, then add enough
dry white lead to make an easy working putty. Still another formula
is to take six parts by weight of boiled whiting, three parts by weight
of plaster of paris, three parts by weight of dry white beach sand, three
parts by weight of fine litharge, one part by weight of powdered rosin
and mix these ingredients with best coach varnish. We, however, do
not recommend the use of this last formula, as we cannot see the ad-
vantage of using rosin in connection with coach varnish.

— 540 —

Flowing on Varnish or Enamel Paints.

Flowing on is the opposite of brushing out, and means that the var-
nish or paint is to be applied in a heavy coat and not crossed or re-
crossed more than is necessary, so as to give the material an oppor-
tunity to level itself to a mirror-like surface.

222 729 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED,

— 541 —

What Is Roughstuff and What Is It Used For?

Roughstuff is used by the carriage painter, the car painter and to
some extent by those that paint and ornament very fine machinery.
Its mission is to give an even, uniformly hard surface that may be
rubbed down with pumice stone and water to a level on which the or-
namenting color and finishing varnishes will stand out like a mirror.
It is made in various ways, but here are a few of the most common for-
mulas : Equal parts by weight of Reno's filler and keg white lead are
mixed with enough quick rubbing varnish and coach japan, equal parts,
to make a mediums stiff paste, which is thinned with spirits of turpen-
tine to brushing consistency. Or two pounds keg white lead and five
pounds English filler are mixed with equal parts best rubbing varnish
and coach japan to a stiff paste and thinned with turpentine for the
brush.

— 54a —

Making Water Colors by the Painter.

It would be a waste of time and of little or no benefit to our readers
to give formulas or describe the process of making water colors when
they can be bought much cheaper from the manufacturer who prepares
them on a large scale. Assuming that the painter has a mill in his
shop, will he be able to buy his raw materials on a small scale as
cheaply as the manufacturer, and how much labor and inconvenience
must he put himself to until he can produce the product as fine as the
color grinder, with his up-to-date mill ? Most of the colors are in the
pulp state at the color works and need not be dried, but can be put on
the mills direct, making a saving in cost, while the painter is obliged
to buy the color in the dry state, then to mix and soak it in water and
finally grind it to impalpable fineness. Where is the economy?

— 543 —

Enamel Suitable for Interior Woodwork. .

If the interior enamels offered by paint manufacturers do not give
you the satisfaction desired, then purchase strictly pure French zinc
ground in damar varnish, which any reputable paint house can sup-
ply you with, and beat the paste with a little turpentine to the con-
sistency of a medium thick batter, then reduce it with sufficient white
damar varnish to make it like a varnish of good body. This is for all
gloss finish. Should you desire, however, to moss or, hair the surface
in order to obtain a velvety finish, you will have to use a high grade
white enamel varnish, which is rather high in price. At all events,
if you wish your enamel to work and look well, you must prepare your
foundation coats accordingly.

-544-
Repainting of a Dwelling and Roof on Which Paint Has Scaled Badly.

A house that had been painted over several times with diflFerent
paints, had scaled so badly that the scales roll up in curls, especially
on the roof.

739 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED. 223

The proper thing to do is to scrape off all the scales and loose paint
and burn oflf the rest, wherever it can be done with safety to the house.
We assume that the roof is laid in shingles and that you cannot well
burn the paint off here. Scrape off all the loose paint and then go over
the surface with raw linseed oil, which will loosen all the paint that
would scale later on. When the raw oil has softened the old paint,
scrape off all that will come off and allow the rest to remain there.
When the raw oil has become well absorbed and hard, before apply-
ing the moss green, give a coat of pure white lead, tinted lead color
with lampblack and thinned with raw linseed oil and a little japan,
and rub it in well.

On this your moss green paint, if made well, will stand for years
and no more scaling or rolling up wift take place.

The fall of the year is the best for repainting, because the paint
will have an opportunity to become firm before the next hot summer
season is upon us again.

— S4S —

The Cause of the Pitting of Varnish.

A veteran in the varnish business describes pitting as presenting
innumerable pinholes in varnished surfaces, and the causes as mani-
fold. Change of the atmosphere from dry to damp ; mixing of varnishes
of different quafity or different manufacture ; excessive heat or exces-
sive cold ; varnishing over fillers, colors or varnish coats that are not
hard enough, or over varnishes that sweat; varnishing when floors
are excessively wet or in cold or damp shops or rooms; application
of cold varnish on warm surfaces or vice versa, and last, but not least,
application of varnish in shops that have insufficient ventilation. When
a varnisher keeps his brushes in a mixture of oil and turpentine he may
expect that his varnished surface will become spotted. Pitting or spot-
ting may also be expected when varnish is used clean to the bottom of
the package or when it has been exposed to very cold atmosphere and
has not been kept in a warm room prior to use.

— 546 —

The Cause of Mold or EfHorescence on Brick Walls.

Moldy patches came out on brickwork having a northern exppsure,
that had been painted the year before.

There seems to be no reasonable doubt but that the brick work you
refer to was either full of moisture before you painted it, or there is a
leak in the roof, which allows moisture to get into the brick work back
of your paint.

The soluble salts in the mortar or in the brick itself become dissolved
by the moisture and must work their way out somehow, and as they
are hardly liable to work out through the plaster within, they are bound
to come out through the paint. It is but reasonable to assume that on
a northern exposure, where the sun never strikes, the wall was damp
previous to being painted. There is no real effective method, and the
best that can be done is to scrape off the paint wherever mold or ef-
florescence is noted, and treat the surface to several washes of phos-

224 739 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED.

phate of lime solution or phosphoric acid preferably, or dilute with sul-
phuric acid, and, after rinsing and allowing the patches to dry out
thoroughly, to repaint. This treatment will neutralize the soluble
salts in cement or mortar as well as in brick.

— 547 —

How Shingle Stains May Be Made With Creosote.

Very little experience is required to prepare or mix shingle stains,
using creosote as a vehicle. Dry pigments, such as mineral red and
brown, ocher (yellow or red), Vandyke brown, burnt or raw umber^
burnt or raw sienna, lampblack, zinc white, etc., may be employed
either singly or in combination as tKe staining material. The pigments
must be in powdered form, impalpably fine and bone dry and are'sprin-
kled into creosote oil while it is agitated by stirring. For dipping pur-
poses less pigment is to be employed than when the stain is applied
with the brush. A simple method of mixing the stains is to take oil
paint of the requisite color, thin the paste as it should be for outside
surface, then add as much creosote oil as there is paint and it is ready
for use.

— 548 —

Bronzing Liquid for Exterior Work and Bronze that Will Not Tarnish.

The questioner had used banana oil, but it rubbed off. Something
was wanted that could be used on a band wagon.

Your banana oil did not contain enough binding material. It is
pear oil or amylacetate, in which is dissolved a small portion of cellu-
loid which acts as a binder and hardener. No doubt the commercial
article is sometimes sophisticated, which may be the reason that it did
not give you the results desired. Dry bronzes, composed of copper,
brass and tin, are very easily affected by exposure to the weather, ani
also by the nature of the size, which may act on the alloy, tending to
greening or blacking off. Our advice is that you use as a size a mix-
ture of one-third of a first class extra light hard oil finish or a high grade
extra pale coach varnish and two-thirds pure spirits of turpentine with
French gold leaf bronze, using a camel's hair brush. Mix only very
little at a time, because it dries up quickly.

Aluminum leaf bronze will do the work for silver effects. When
striping or lettering in bronze, it is well to take the extra precaution
of applying a coat of very thin white shellac varnish over the bronzed
parts before applying the finishing varnish.

Should you be unable to obtain the French gold leaf bronze powder,
you can prepare it yourself by grinding genuine gold leaf in a mor-
tar with honey until all the leaves are broken up and minutely divided.
Remove the mixture from the mortar with a spatula and stir up in a
clean dish or basin with water, which will dissolve the honey. Leave
the dish undisturbed until the gold subsides, pour off the liquid and
repeat the operation until all the honey is washed out, collect the gold
on a filter and allow to dry, when it is ready for use.

7J9 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED, 22s

— 549 —

Preparation of Sienna by Xrevigalion and Calcination.

The raw sienna is ground in water on buhr stone mills into a series
of floating tubs, the deposit in the tank nearest the mill or mills usually
containing the sand or grit that is undesirable. The pigment in the
farthest tanks is allowed to settle and the water drawn off. The set-
tled portion is allowed to drain on muslin, stretched over large frames,
and when nearly dry it is placed in a furnace or retort and calcined at
low heat until it has acquired the desired color, when it is allowed to
cool and the lumps are crushed by running them through a set of roll-
ers or a pulverizing machine. When the material is naturally fine and
free from grit, ordinary grinding is sufficient and levigation unneces-
sary, but in all cases the raw sienna earth should be powdered in order
to make calcination uniform. For calcining sienna, almost any sort
of furnace may be used, but the best results are obtained from muffle
furnaces, and the heat should be a low red, which will usually convert
the raw material into burnt sienna in from six to eight hours. By
using a low red heat the product retains more tinting power than by
employing a higher and quicker heat. '

— 550 —

Good Mixtures for Dipping Purposes for Articles of Hard Wood.

In order to make a good aud durable job, your priming dip should
consist of pure white lead, either left white or tinted with such oil
colors as will give you the tint or effect desired. To do good work,,
make your priming dip by breaking up ten pounds of lead in oil, so-
called keg lead, with one pint of liquid turpentine drier, allowing this.
to stand over night or at least a few hours, then thin to dipping con-
sistency by adding gradually, while stirring, five pints of pure spirits-
of turpentine, which will give you a full gallon of a first-class priming
dip that will dry in from eight to ten hours hard enough for handling
and second coating. If required to be tinted, break up your oil colors
in japan and thin the same with turpentine. Put both white and color
through a paint strainer before using the dip, in order to prevent par-
ticles of skin from lodging on the dipped work. For cheap work the
turpentine may be replaced with naphtha. For the second coat or
finishing dip, it is not advisable to use pure lead alone, because the
priming dip of pure lead is elastic enough to permit of a combination
of lead and zinc to be employed. There are two ways to obtain good
results. The best of these is to use equal parts of keg lead and pure-
zinc white in oil, breaking them up in a pale coach japan or liquid
drier and thinning the soft paste so obtained with pure spirits of tur-
pentine, so that this dip will dry with eggshell gloss or almost flat,,
when it may be finished with varnish. Here, too, the turpentine for
thinning may be replaced with naphtha for the cheaper grade of work-
Seven and one-half pounds of keg lead and an equal weight of zinc
white in oil, one pint of coach japan and three pints of turpentine will
make one gallon of this dip. Another method, which is more economi-
cal, because it will save the varnish coat, but not nearly so durable, is
to grind in paint mill one part by weight of dry white lead and two

226 739 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED,

parts by weight of zinc white in equal parts of boiled linseed oil and
gold size or coach japan to a medium paste with the required coloring
matter, then thin the paste v/ith enough pure spirits of turpentine to
bring it to the consistency of thick cream and reduce with a like quan-
tity, by measure, of a good mixing varnish. If it does not drip freely
enough or does not produce a high enough gloss, add more varnish.

— 551 —

Formula for Making Oil Gold Size — ^Also Gold Size for Burnished and

Distemper Gilding.

Oil gold size can be made in many ways. For commercial purposes
the simplest method is to place boiled linseed oil in a suitable pot and
boil at a gentle heat to the point of ignition, then set fire to it and let
it burn until it becomes thick and put on a cover to extinguish the
flames. Strain through silk and thin to proper consistency with oil of
turpentine. A little medium chrome yellow or yellow ocher, ground
very fine in oil, should now be added.

Another somewhat quicker oil gold size is prepared by heating lin-
seed oil to the boiling point and, under continual stirring, finely pul-
verized gum animi is added and the boiling continued until all the
gum is dissolved. When the mixture has attained the consistency ot
thick molasses, which can be ascertained by taking out a sample every
once in a while and dropping it on a piece of glass, it is strained
through coarse cheesecloth. It should be thinned with oil of turpen-
tine, so that it flows from the pencil, and a small quantity of finely
ground chrome yellow or vermilion in oil may be added to give proper
color.

Burnished gold size or gold size for distemper gilding is made by
dissolving parchment or isinglass in water and adding yellow ocher
that has been ground to the utmost fineness in water.

— 552 —

Gilding a Dome With Gold Leaf — Best Size and Method of La3ring

the Leaf.

You should have stated what the dome to be gilded consists of,
whether it is made of wood or metal, and if the latter, what does the
metal consist of; in other words, is it iron, tin, copper or brass? To
take the leaf well, the surface should be primed and the priming de-
pends very much on the character of the material. If the surface of
the dome is wood, apply several coats of paint, until a perfectly smooth
surface is had, but let the last coat be flat, so that it may be sand-
papered and that the size may hold well without crawling or wrink-
ling. For metal of any kind, cleanse well, then apply several coats
or flat paint, rubbing down the last coat to a smooth finish with hair
and pumice. Then apply fat oil gold size and when this has set up
sufficiently, lay your leaf in the usual manner, but, to avoid loss from
blowing away, use the patent gold leaf, now prepared for that pur-
pose, which will save you the trouble of greasing the leaf, which had
to be done by the painters of "ye olden" times. Lay your leaf from
the book^ and burnish with a cotton wad. You can prepare your fat

739 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED. 227

oil gold size by using the oldest linseed oil you can find, mixing it with
a trifle of medium chrome yellow that has been ground fine in oil, and
if you wish to hasten its becoming tacky, add a tablespoonful of gold
size japan to one-half pint of the oil. Good elastic gold size that will
remain elastic for a century may be made by boiling one quart of raw
linseed oil with one-half ounce of soda until the oil thickens into soft
soap-like consistency under constant stirring.

When nearly cool, it is. mixed with a similar quantity of raw linseed
oil well aged and thinned with enough turpentine to make it flow nicely
from brush or pencil. A trifle of chrome yellow is added for gold size,
or a little white lead tinted with lampblack for aluminum leaf size.

— 553 —

Spreading Capacity of Shellac Varnish and Other Varnishes.

Shellac varnish will cover smooth, finished white pine 400 square feet
to the gallon, first coat, and 500 square feet for each succeeding coat,
while interior varnishes, such as furniture varnish or hard oil varnish,
will spread over 350 to 400 square feet of surface on first coat, 500
square feet on second coat and close on 600 square feet for third coat
per gallon. On hard wood that has been properly filled it will cover
from 50 to 75 square feet more for each coat than on white wood or
white pine that has not been treated with filler.

— 554 —

How to Prepare Copper on Outside Work.

It is not very clear to us whether you wish to prepare copper to
receive paint or to imitate copper with paint on baser metal. If you
simply wish to know how to make oil paint adhere to copper or other
metal, as, for instance, brass, we can recommend a wash with a- solu-
tion of sulphate of copper, slightly acidulated with nitric acid, which
will roughen the metal so that paint which is not too oily will adhere
firmly and will not peel or powder off.

To make a copper paint, precipitate metallic copper out of any solu-
tion of a copper salt by introducing scrap iron into the liquid. After
drying the precipitate, mix and grind it with linseed oil and japan.

To paint portions of the front of a building in imitation of antique
copper or bronze, apply a ground color made from white lead, chrome
yellow, burnt umber and Venetian red to resemble dirty copper, and
have it nearly flat, then apply copper bronze mixed with good spar or
outside varnish and thinned with turps. Then apply a glaze of best
verdigris, ground fine in varnish and thinned with turpentine to dry
with eggshell gloss, or, if you do not like the greenish effect, use raw
umber, ground and thinned in similar manner. Before the glaze has
an opportunity to set hard, wipe out the high lights, making a very
pretty effect.

— 555-

Material for Making Stencils for Lettering on Freight Cars.

If you do not care to make your stencils out of sheet zinc, try a piece
of opaque window shade cloth, which you can stretch and tack on to a

228 729 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED.

wooden frame of suitable size. You will find that this is much stronger
and will not buckle. Give it a coat or two of shellac.

Stencils for car lettering may also be made by using two outer sheets
of light manila drawing paper and an inner sheet of muslin, put to-
gether with flour paste and flattened between boards that are clamped
together by means of hand screws. These stencils will last for years.
Oil board, such as is used in copying presses, with cheese cloth fast-
ened on one side by means of shellac, has also been recommended.

— 556 —

Venetian Red Paint for Use on Shingle Roofs That WQl Not Fade or

Turn Black Under Severe Exposure.

Although many efforts have been made to produce such a paint as
our correspondent desires, they have all met with failure. If oxide of
iron paints fade it is due to the diluting mineral base that is used to
cheapen them. If they turn white, it is due to inferior oil being em-
ployed in their makeup. If strong in oxide of iron and ground in and
thinned with pure linseed oil and oil driers, they will invariably turn
dark, because of the action of the oxide of iron on the oil. In the pres-
ence of moisture at night and strong exposure to sun in the daytime,
such paints will alternately soften and harden, and these sudden
changes tend to destroy their binding properties and allow mildew to
obtain a hold.

We do not know of anything better than to thin down a paste Vene-
tian red, bought from reputable manufacturers, with pure raw linseed
oil and a turpentine drier, adding as much turpentine as it will permit,
allowing the first coat to dry flat on the shingles, if new, and to apply
a second coat as thin as possible that will stand out with semi-gloss.
A shingle roof should look flat, but the sun and the moisture will soon
destroy the gloss and the roof will look just right. This is the best
advice we can impart.

— 557 —

How to Obtain Verd Antique Effects.

The architects' specifications called for the grille work on the out-
side of windows and doors to receive two coats of graphite paint, the
final finish to be verd antique.

There are two kinds of verd antique effects. One is a term given to
a green incrustation on metal, such as brass or copper, which consists
of hydrated dicarbonate of copper. The second is a mottled green,
serpentine marble, also a green porphyry, called Oriental verd antique.

If the architect in specifying meant the first effect — that is, the imi-
tation of incrustation or patina — the simplest method is to triturate
carbonate of copper with sandarac varnish. The iron grill work is
first coated with the required coats of graphite, which must not be too
glossy, and one coat of dead flat black paint, over which the mixture
of carbonate of copper and varnish is applied. When this has dried, it
may be second coated in certain places, to make the antique effect more
j>ronounced.

Should the effect desired be that of verd antique marble, the ground
must be black, as before, and the grain colors white, yellow ocher and

729 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED, 229

bluish green. The tools required are earners hair fitches, blender and
sponge. Large flakes of white are scrambled in with the sponge and
blended. Trace in the other tints in veins, large and heavy in irregu-
lar circles. Blend softly.

The grain colors should be ground in oil and thinned with part tur-
pentine and the necessary drier. To do this work in proper style re-
quires an expert grainer.,

— 558 —

How Many Colors Are in the Rainbow?

The rainbow is a spectrum of colors that is formed by the refraction
of the sunlight during its passage through the drops of water in a
shower of rain. There are seven positive colors named as constituting
the spectrum, be it a rainbow or be it produced by a beam of white
light passed through the edges of a triangular prism, and Sir Isaac
Newton, the discoverer of this property of white light, named these
colors as fellows : Red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and violet ;
but there is no distinctly marked line of division between these seven
colors, as they pass insensibly into one another from red down.

— 559 —

Best Method for Removing Smalts from Old Signs.

The best and most practical method for removing smalts from old
signs is to take a hatchet with a rather blunt cutting edge, holding the
handle with the left hand and the hammer end with the right hand,
pushing the hatchet from you. This lends greater force to the work-
man and is not liable to dig into the wood. The use of corrugated rub-
bing brick and water is altogether too slow and unsatisfactory, while
the use of potash, etc., will raise the grain of the wood.

— 560 —

Stains in Plastered Walls That Are to Be Coated with Kalsomine.

Certain new plastered walls are dry, but show stains all over. The
specifications say no size of any kind is to be used on the walls, and
provide for only one coat of kalsomine to make them an even and uni-
form white.

If the walls are stained, it is next to impossible to keep the stains
back with one coat of kalsomine, at least we have never even attempted
it. Of course, it depends very much on the nature of the stains and
whether there is any dampness in the wall. A wall may appear dry
and hard and yet there may be dampness behind the plaster. You
might make your kalsomine a little richer in glue than usual ; say use
one pound of glue to fifteen pounds of whiting, instead of one pound
glue to twenty pounds of whiting, or increase the proportion of glue
even more, but the glue must be good and white, or you have no show
whatever.

You might possibly succeed by making your kalsomine from freshly
calcined plaster and white glue, thinned with hot water, because this
will stand out whiter when it becomes dry than that made from whit-
ing. In this case the plaster must be very finely powdered, or the job

230 , 739 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED.

will not be smooth enough. But success is not assured unless size is
used, and a glue, soap and alum size is, next to hard oil finish, the
best for the purpose. Half a pound of good white glue, half a pound
of white soap and one pound alum is the proper proportions for such
size, each article dissolved separately in hot water and mixed while
still hot.

-S6i-
Painting on Silk, Satin, Shirting or Linen.

The principal object to be obtained in preparing the fabric is to
take care that the stuff does not become too brittle from painting upon
it, and this is prevented by using the colors as flat as possible, so that
the material does not strike in the fabric too much. In order to stop
the colors fromi coming through on the other side, a size made from
four parts of gelatine and ten parts of water, with from ten to twenty
drops of glycerine added to each quarter pint of the gelatine and water
solution should be applied on shirting or linen over all the design, while
on silk or satin only the outlines of the design should be sized. The
size must be dry to the touch before painting is begun. Tube colors
in oil are best suited for the purpose, and several applications are re-
quired to bring out the effect properly. The colors must be as free
from oil as possible, especially on the first coat. To make the colors
less oily, extract some of the oil from the color by placing it on blot-
ting paper for a short time. Use brushes or pencils with bristles as
short as possible, and trim these to suit. If any part of the painted
surface should be matt, go over it with a good, pale coach varnish of
the proper elasticity. For large surfaces it is best to draw as much of
the oil from the colors as possible, and add to the color a little heavy
painters' varnish and enough turpentine to make it flow freely from
brush or pencil. For sizing silk or satin that is not exposed to damp-
ness, one part of white of tgg and two parts water will answer very
well.

— 562 —
Practical Method of Painting on Velvet and Similar Fabrics.

There is a very simple method which can be handled in such a man-
ner that neither fabric nor the painting will be injured. First trim a
small fitch with a pair of scissors, so that the bristles are not over one-
eighth of an inch in length ; make it round at the point. Use oil colors
in collapsible tubes and place the color on blotting paper, so that some
of the oil may be soaked up and the color be quite stiff. Then, after
having stamped your design on thevelvet, dip your brush in the color
and proceed to comb the nap of the velvet with it. The depth of color
depends on the number of times you have applied the brush in the
manner described, as the combing of the nap with the brush simply
stains the nap and leaves it flexible and therefore more durable than
by any other method.

739 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED. 231

— 563 —

Coating the Backs of Mirrors with Quicksilver.

This is a difficult operation, and requires a great deal of practice.
Remove the old amalgam by rubbing it off with very fine powdered
pumice and water, and rinse the glass thoroughly in clear water, and
when dry rub with tissue paper. Lay a piece of tin foil (not lead foil)
on a perfectly flat surface, and pour mercury over it to the depth of
one-eighth of an inch. Slide the glass over it, so as to bring a new
surface of amalgam against the glass, then leave it a while under pres-
sure and set on edge to drain. ^

— 564 —

Formulas for Making Pale and Brown Japan Driers.

Formulas were wanted for white japan drier that will not make
white paint dry out pink, and a brown japan that will dry paint when
one gallon of the liquid is mixed with thirty gallons of paint.

Your proposition is a difficult one, if you wish one gallon of japan
to dry thirty gallons of oil paint within twenty-four hours in all sorts
of weather.

We will give you some formulas which you may try, but will not
guarantee success. To make a pale or so-called white japan, fuse at
a moderate temperature 100 pounds palest rosin, W. G. or W. W.,
with 10 pounds litharge and 5 pounds white sugar of lead, and do not
let it become discolored to any extent. Then add four gallons of well-
settled, clarified linseed oil and boil at low heat until ,the mass be-
comes stringy, and when a small sample is placed on a slab of glass
it must become at once brittle and hard on cooling. Take from fire and
thin with about twenty-five gallons pure spirits of turpentine.

In order to keep this drier from giving a pink effect to white paint,
avoid the use of manganese in any form.

To make a strong brown japan, fuse at high temperature 100 pounds
ordinary rosin with 15 pounds red lead, 15 pounds litharge, and 3
pounds finely powdered black manganese oxide and add 6 gallons of
boiled linseed oil, previously heated, which mixture boil together until
a sample taken will dry brittle on cooling when placed on a glass slab.
Take from fire and when sufficiently cooled off, yet still warm and liquid,
thin down with about 30 gallons of spirits of turpentine or equal tur-
pentine and benzine, adding the turpentine first, so as to avoid too
great a loss.

— 565 —

How Golden Oak Finish Is Made.

You must remember that you cannot produce a really good golden
oak finish unless the wood you are staining is either white or red oak
and has the proper grain. On these woods you use a good paste wood
filler colored with burnt umber, then stain the wood with a mixture
of, say, one pound burnt Turkey umber in oil and one pint of turpen-
tine asphaltum varnish, thinned with one-half pint best brown japan
and turpentine to the consistency of very thin varnish. Apply this to
the wood with a bristle varnish brush and when the stain has set take

232 729 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED.

a cloth and wipe out the high lights and allow to dry, then varnish.
Should you wish to imitate golden oak finish on close grained woods,
you will have to give a ground of tinted lead, same as for dark oak
graining, and fix the high lights with shellac varnish. The graining
color is made from burnt umber and asphaltum varnish, with a little
raw umber and a trifle of chrome yellow. The high lights that have
been marked with shellac varnish are wiped out and the whole surface
is combed. It requires a study of the natural oak and its grain to ac-
complish the work properly. The finishing coats of varnish give the
final touch to the work, and if these are rubbed and polished some
very fine and fanciful effects can be obtained even in imitations.

— 566 —

Putty for Light Woods That Are to Be Finished in the Natural.

For this kind of work the regular glazier's putty will not answer,
as it cannot be colored to make clear tints. Use white lead putty, made
by mixing and kneading three parts of finely sifted dry white lead and
one part of bolted whiting with boiled linseed oil to a stiff mass, which
is stained with a little raw sienna for pine lumber, yellow ocher for oak,
raw and burnt sienna for cherry, burnt sienna for mahogany, burnt
sienna and burnt umber for walnut, and raw umber for antique oak.
With this the nailholes, etc., are puttied up, after the wood has been
filled and before any varnish has been applied. Surplus putty is re-
moved with the edge of the putty knife, taking care not to dig into
the wood. To make a smooth job of puttying, go over it whh a piece
of fine sandpaper. For a hurried job, add some japan to the boiled lin-
seed oil when preparing the putty.

— 567 —

Blistering and Checkering of Varnish on Boats.

Some boats that had been varnished, blistered, checked and turned
white after having been in the water but a few days.

The best thing you can do, if you desire to refinish the boats in the
natural, is to procure a good varnish remover and give the boats a fair
opportunity to dry out well after you have removed all of the old var-
nish. Then get your supply house to furnish you with a varnish
that they can guarantee will stand water without turning white, and
apply several co^ts of it, permitting each coat to thoroughly dry be-
fore applying another. Your failure was evidently due either to the
boats being water logged or to the varnish being of too inferior a qual-
ity for the purpose.

Should you, however, desire to paint the boats, we would advise you
to burn off the old varnish and use a paint with a lead and zinc basis
and hold it flat, if you wish to finish with varnish.

— 568 —

Japans and Driers for Various Purposes.

For zinc white in poppyseed oil we would suggest the use of white
coach japan, if the rooms are to be done in gloss finish, but if the fin-
ish is to be flat we should recommend the use of paste drier. For the

739 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED. 233

<irying of oil paints to be used on the exterior of buildings and for
porch floors, in fact for all outside work, we would suggest the use
of a pure oil drier that is free from rosin or gum of any kind, and that
does not contain benzine. As a drier for oil paints to be used on in-
terior floors, a good, strong brown turpentine japan will give the best
satisfaction.

— 569 —

Is the Quality of Linseed Oil Impaired When Exposed to Freezing

T^emperatures?

Yes, temporarily, but not permanently. The point at which pure
linseed oil freezes is minus 27.5 deg. C.= i8 deg. below zero
F. It is apt to become turbid, however, when exposed to a tempera-
ture below the freezing point of water, viz., 32 deg. F. In any state
between this point and that of its own freezing point, linseed oil, raw
or boiled, is not in good condition to be used as a thinner for paint, and
should not be so employed without being warmed up to a temperature
of between 60 and 75 deg. F., otherwise it will not mix well and make
the paint appear seedy or grainy.

Even if the oil has become congealed by frigid ten^peratures it has
lost none of its valuable properties when warmed up to a normal tem-
perature, so long as it was pure and fairly free from foots and moisture
originally.

— 570 —

Blistering of Oil Paint After Repeatedly Burning Off and Repainting.

A New Jersey painter had a queer experience with the blistering of
certain portions of the surface on the same dwelling. He first painted
the house in 1888 with pure lead, French ocher, linseed oil, some turps
and a little japan, giving the job three coats. The paint wore well for
five and one-half years, with the exception of a little blistering on
south side of house under water tables, corner boards and a few
weatherboards. At that time he burned off the paint and sandpapered
the surface, giving it two coats of practically the same paint as he did
in the first instance. In 1899 he was obliged to burn off blistered
paint at the same places as" before, only a little more extended. Two
months after repainting, blistering began again in the same spots and
also on several other parts of the house. In the summer of 1902, he
burned off the paint and again repainted and the blistering became
worse than ever. On cutting some of the blisters, fine yellow streaks
were found underneath.

From the detailed description given of the mixing of the various
coats of paiint, and the various brands used, we are satisfied that the
material was good and that the blistering was not caused by applying
the paint too stout, as is sometimes the case when oil paint blisters
afterward. Nor do we believe that it is caused by sap in the wood, as
the fine yellow streaks under the blisters may be caused by rusty nails.
We are rather inclined to believe that it is caused bv moisture behind
the weather boards and corner boards, and the moisture miav find its
way there from imperfection in the roof or from dampness in the
ground or foundation. A rigid examination of the roof and gutters,

234 729 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED.

probably the tearing away of a portion of the corner boards and
weather boards may reveal the cause of the trouble, for it is hardly
probable that after so many burnings oflf of paint sap would be still
retained.

— S7I —

Spots on Varnished Surface Caused by Steam — How to Remove the

Same.

We do not know of any better method than to rub over the spots
with French chalk moistened with grain alcohol until they lose the
white color, then clean off with tepid water and dry with a silken cloth
or chamois skin. After this, polish with rotten stone and sweet oil.
If the spots are caused only by the condensation of the steam, this
will remedy the defects, but should the varnish be blistered then it will
have to be removed and the work done anew from the wood up.

— 572 —

How Cast Iron and Polished Steel May Be Bronzed.

After thorough cleansing of the cast iron articles, immerse them
over night in a saturated solution of sulphate of copper and they will
acquire that color. When coated, they must be well washed in clear
water. To bronze polished steel put into a large enough bottle one
quart methylated spirits, eight ounces g^m shellac and one ounce gum
benzoin. Set the bottle in a warm place and shake the bottle occa-
sionally. When dissolved, decant the clear liquid and strain the bal-
ance. Mix the varnish to suit with finely powdered dry bronze green,
varying the color to suit with yellow ocher and lampblack. Apply the
mixture, after warming the articles, in two coats.

— 573 —

Slow Drying of Venetian Red After Grinding in Pure Linseed Oil.

Manufacturers of colors in oil, etc., through experience gained by
long practice and through study of the action of pigments on linseed
oil, employ very little raw linseed oil in grinding' colors and select
raw, bleached, refined or boiled linseed oil, as suits the nature of the
pigment. For instance, burnt Turkey umber should be ground in raw
linseed oil", because this pigment is in itself an active drier from its
large percentage of oxide of manganese, while bone black, which does
not exert any drying influence on the oil, should be ground in boiled
linseed oil. Red oxides of iron and Venetian reds exert no influence
whatever upon the drying action of linseed oil, and under certain con-
ditions, such as dampness, when being mixed for grinding, these pig-
ments are very apt to retard the drying quality of oil.

There are, of course, other conditions, such as moisture or impuri-
ties in raw linseed oil, that will delay the drying of colors. You can
overcome the defect mentioned by selecting either a strong drying
boiled linseed oil or well settled raw linseed oil, free from foots and
moisture, to which you can add, say, 5 per cent, of a good oil drier for
grinding your Venetian red, but always see that your pigment
IS as nearly bone dry as it can possibly be. As you do not grind for

739 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED. 235

the trade and do not put up large quantities for stock,you can well
afford to add some driers to your raw linseed oil for grinding inert or
slow drying pigments.

— 574 —

Will Plastering Inside of a House Make Paint Peel on the Outside?

This depends very much on how long the outside has been painted,
and on the material it has been painted with and how the timber is
affected by the wet plaster. There is hardly any doubt but that the
plastering had something to do with the throwing off of the paint.
Blistering and peeling of paint can always be traced to moisture under-
neath and the action of the sun upon it.

— 575 —

How to Finish Red Birch with Best Results.

Paste filler may be used on black or red birch, but it is not an abso-
lute necessity, as it is rather close grained. However, many wood
finishers prefer to use paste filler, especially when the wood has been
stained to imitate black walnut or mahogany. In such case a light
paste filler is stained to suit and applied, instead of shellac. Two coats
of shellac varnish without using a filler will bring the surface into
first-class condition for a good polish. For a first-class job, stain the
wood to suit the taste, give two coats of shellac varnish and finish with
good interior or cabinet rubbing and polish.

— 576 —
Pyrographing on Wood and Leather.

The process referred to is termed pyrography, and the work itself
pyrographing. In practice, it is done by stamping the designs on wood
or leather and burning in the outlines with needles or tools of various
shapes, heated by electricity, while the amateur shapes pieces of steel
wire to suit the work in hand, heating the same in the fire or gas fur-
nace. A little genius, combined with practice, enables the amateur
to turn out some pretty work in pyrography.

— 577 —

Clean Cut Stenciling in Sign Work.

A sign painter had trouble in stenciling from the colors working in
under the edges of the letters and 'making rough or blurred work.
Paper stencils were used, shellacked on both sides and hinged on
frames, so that one fills the breaks left by the other. The colors were
used quite thick and applied with a large brush.

Your method appears to be the proper one, paper stencils shellacked
on both sides being best for the purpose. The letters, however, must
be clean cut and well coated with shellac varnish and the paper strong
and stout. But we think that you used your colors too oily and either
stippled or worked them too forcibly. The best colors for this stencil
work are those ground in japan, or at least ground in equal japan and
turps, thinned with turps, but held fairly stout and applied with a
No. 8-0 brush with a rotary motion, not stippling or rubbing in hard.

236 729 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED,

— 578 —

Rosewood and Mahogany Graining Color in Distemper and Ground

for Same.

The ground for mahogany should be made by mixing yellow ocher
and Venetian red, ground very fine in oil and thinned with turpentine,
adding sufficient drier. It should dry flat and be applied thinly with
flat bristle brushes, so as not to show brush marks, which are very
aggravating to the grainer. Three thin coats are none too much for
new wood, and far better than two stout coats. For rosewood, the
ground should be made of medium or orange chrome yellow and dark
Venetian red. Indian red should not be used, as the ground made
with this pigment is too dull.

As to graining colors in distemper, the grainers to the trade usually
buy the various colors in water as suits their requirements. The water
or distemper colors used in mahogany are burnt sienna and Vandyke
brown, the latter being used to put in the darker veins. If the sienna
is not rich enough, some crimson lake may be added.

For rosewood, the colors are Vandyke brown, ivory black and rose
pink, the basis of the color is Vandyke brown mixed with a little ivory
black, the rose pink and the ivory black are mixed separately and
streaked through the base color, then carefully blended. All of the
colors can be had, ground finely in water.

— 579 —
How to Finish Oak in the Natural When High Polish Is Desired.

The interior oak woodwork of a dwelling had been filled with paste
filler and was to be varnished and polished.

The filled surface should be first gone over with No. i or No. i
sandpaper, so that all excess of filler is removed. This done, the wood-
work in the room, as well as the floor, must be dusted, and the floor
mopped up with a damp cloth, while the woodwork that is to be var-
nished is gone over with a damp chamois skin, in order to remove all
remaining traces of dust, so that they cannot settle elsewhere in the
room, as is the case in dusting. Now a coat of white shellac varnish
is applied, so as to seal up all pores in the wood that have not been
perfectly sealed up by the filler, which will save two coats of rubbing
varnish. This coat of shellac varnish should be allowed to stand about
seven or eight hours, then lightly sandpaper with No. o sandpaper,
and the surface dusted as before. On this, two coats of a first-class
inside rubbing varnish should be sufficient to produce a good surface
for rubbing and polishing. Twenty-four hours between coats must be
allowed, and the second coat should stand from forty-eight to seventy-
two hours before the rubbing is proceeded with. The temperature of
the room or rooms should not be below 70 deg. F. during the opera-
tion. The material necessary for rubbing are powdered pumice stone
O or F, water or rubbing oil and rubbing felt. The rubbing felt, wnich
comes in thickness from one-fourth inch to two inches, is cut into pads
of three by four inches (and for use on interior woodwork the half-
inch thickness is best). It is dipped into the water or the oil and then
into the powdered pumice and passed over the surface with the grain.

739 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED. 237

bearing lightly when nearing the ends or on edges of moldings, so as
not to rub through to the wood. When rubbing oil, which is a petro-
leum product, is used, the oil and pumice must be removed quickly
from the surface, so as not to allow it to soak into the varnish and
soften it. When water is being employed, it does not matter so much
as to the length of time when the pumice is removed. To ascertain
when the surface has been sufficiently rubbed, wipe off a portion of
the pumice and oil or water with a stroke of the palm of the hand,
and if the pitted appearance of the varnish has vanished it may be
taken for granted that the job is completed. When rubbing with
water, it is best to clean off with clear water and sponge, using a cham-
ois skin to wipe dry, but in oil rubbing soft cotton waste or soft cotton
wadding is best. To polish this dead finish there are two ways, the
quickest method being to take a handful of raw cotton, dip it into
a mixture of equal parts of olive oil and alcohol and rub the job with
a rotary motion until the desired luster is obtained. The slower
method is to apply a coat of flowing cabinet varnish, giving it seventy-
two hours' time, then rub with flower of pumice and water, wipe up
carefully and polish with rotten stone and sweet oil, using chamois
skin or silk cloth.

— 580 —

Cement Size or Wash for the Exterior of Bricks Concrete or Stone

Walls.

The cement is mixed with water, to which is added a portion of
lime water and salt. The proper proportions are : One pint of lime water
to seven pints of soft water and two ounces of salt. Enough cement is
stirred in to make a paint of such consistency that it may be spread
conveniently with a wall brush. If coloring be desired, add Venetian
red in powdered form for red, mineral brown for brown, yellow ocher
for buff and whiting for gray or slate color. Very good for new or
damp walls.

See also No. 608.

-581-
How to Stain a Violin.

The staining and varnishing of violins is a special art and requires
expert knowledge, if the tone of the wood is to be preserved. The
wood must be stained before the varnish is applied and the stain should
be made from camwood, logwood or eosin for red, for yellow from
annato, aloes, gamboge or turmeric, using alcohol and water as the
medium. By mixing red and yellow in various proportio^is, interme-
diate effects may be obtained in the staining. The coloring matter
is boiled in water and when cool the liquid is strained and a little alco-
hol added to keep it in good condition. The stain is applied, allowed
to set up and then wiped out with a soft cloth until the proper effect
is had. If not deep enough, a second application is given. Before ap-
plying the varnish, the stained surface is gone over with the very fin-
est sandpaper. The varnish should be a spirit varnish, made by dis-
solving 4 ounces of gum sandarac, 2 ounces pale gum shellac, i ounce
gum mastic and 2 ounces benzoe r^sin in 32 ounces of 95 per cent.

238 7S9 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED,

grain alcohol, to which solution, when complete, 2 ounces clear Venice
turpentine is added to make it flow fro mthe brush freely. To make
an extra fine finish, each coat of varnish is rubbed lightly with flour of
pumice and water. Three light coats of varnish are required until a
surface fit for polishing is obtained. The last coat of varnish is pol-
ished with rotten stone and sweet oil and finally by rubbing with the
palm of the hand.

— 582 —

Gilding on Glass and the Effect of Moisture.

The glass of a hall door was gilded in the early fall. It stood all
right till cold, damp weather came on, when it began to sweat, which
caused the leaf to loosen its hold on the glass, the moisture apparently
working under the edges of the letters. A thick asphaltum was used
for backing, applying two coats. Gum arabic size was used.

We believe from your description that your backing did not cover
the edges of the letters sufficiently to keep out the moisture. The
thick asphaltum you employed is as good an article as can be had in
that line, yet it might be better if uncjer the conditions you name a
mixture of lampblack and best grade of coach varnish had been em-
ployed, as this is known as a better backing than asphaltum for gilding
on glass exposed to much sweating or to freezing. As for the size
for gilding on glass. If your leaf came out spotted and cloudy with
the gum arabic size the fault was probably in your not burnishing the
leaf enough after the first layer. This should be done with refined
cotton when dry, and a second coat of leaf laid, same as the first. When
dry it should be gone over again with cotton lightly and then repeat-
edly washed with the sizing.

— 583 —

Water Stain to Imitate Mahogany on Cherry or Birch Wood.

The cheapest stain is made from Bismarck brown, and is made by
dissolving two ounces of the powder in one gallon of boiling hot water
and allowing it to cool, when it is ready for use. A stronger and red-
der stain is made by boiling a quantity of logwood chips in twice its
bulk of water for two hours, then strain and add a small quantity of
chloride of tin until it is red enough. Apply two coats.

A very brilliant rich stain is obtained by boiling 8 ounces of mad-
der and 2 ounces logwood chips in 4 quarts of water. Brush this over
the wood while hot. When dry, wash over with a solution of two
drams of pearl ash in one quart of water.

— 584 —

Hanging Tapestry and Burlap for Wall Decorations and How to Treat

Hard Walls for the Same.

Hard finished walls are glue sized to receive burlap or tapestry,
using one pound of good blue to six quarts of water. Any practical
paper hanger that knows how to handle an edge knife can butt the
edges like veneering. A true joint will remain so and will not open.
Use a good, stiff paste, which is improved by adding two tablespoons-

739 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED, 239

ful of Venice turpentine to a pail full of the paste while warm. • If
cold, take some of the paste, warm it, stir in the Venice turpentine and
then add it to the cold paste. Paste the edges well, roll down the
joints with care and immediately sponge off with clean water, so that
no trace of paste is left on the surface. The goods being shrunk
in their manufacture, they must not be stretched, but pressed to a
tight joint only, and it is only necessary to fill in the larger cracks in
walls before hanging. Uneven edges and projections in the walls must
be sandpapered or scraped off.

No preparation is required after the goods are pasted on the wall,
and they are ready for coloring, when so required, as .soon as the paste
is dry. Should the wall be damp, give it a strong solution of hot alum
and water, one pound of alum to a quart of water. When dry, dust
the crystallized alum off the surface, then apply the glue size and pro-
ceed as with a perfectly dry wall.

— 585 —
Enameling or China Glossing Interior Work.

A painter states that his method of doing enamel white or China
gloss finish on interior woodwork is to prime with pure white lead and
oil with some turpentine, following this with two coats of lead in oil
thinned with turps, then two or three coats white enamel finish or
zinc white ground in damar varnish and thinned with damar varnish.
Some manufacturers of enamel paints have told him their goods should
be used for each and every coat.

Do not allow yourself to be led astray by the claims of some over-
anxious paint drummer who, by the anxiety to sell a few gallons of
enamel paint, will undermirie unknowingly the reputation of their
house. You cannot make a good, durable job of enameling or china
glossing on new or old work, excepting by the method which you
yourself describe, though that method can be modified to some extent.

Enamel or china gloss white cannot be applied successfully without
a proper foundation, for it will require too many coats to cover and
will crack every time, unless applied over a proper priming and under-
coating. The best method for woodwork is to give a priming of pure
lead, thinned with equal parts of raw oil and turps, adding a trifle pale
japan. Second coat pure lead, thinned with turps and a little pale
japan only. Third coat French zinc white in oil, thinned with turps
and some pale japan or paste drier. Sandpaper smooth to efface all
brush marks, then dust carefully and apply first coat of enamel or zinc
white ground in damar, thinned with damar varnish. Let this stand
for a few days, then moss down with pumice and water. Clean off
thoroughly with clear water and whep dry apply a flowing coat of
enamel white or china gloss, as above. This finish may be allowed to
remain in full gloss or rubbed down to a dead finish with flour of pum-
ice or rotten stone and water, as desired. For smooth plastered walls,
prime with a coat of pure lead in oil, thinning with two parts raw lin-
seed oil and one part turps. Second coat with pure lead in oil, thinned
with equal parts of raw oil and turpentine, adding a little drier.

Third coat with equal parts pure lead and zinc white in oil, thinned
with turps only, adding some pale japan.

240 739 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED

When the price paid for the work will permit, a fourth coat, to con-
sist of French zinc white in oil, thinned with turpentine, to which pale
drier is added, is advised, but not actually required. Before applying
the enamel in either case, the surface should be sandpapered. Next
one coat of enamel or china gloss should be applied, well crossed and
recrossed, and this followed by a .flowing coat of the same material.

— 586 —

How to Make Wall Paper Stick on Newly Plastered Walls that Have

Been Frozen.

When newly plastered walls have been so badly frozen that a pow-
der appears on the surface like new plaster, which can be brushed off
with the hand or broom, and in other places falls off in flakes, it is
almost an impossibility to make the paper stick, from the fact that
you are working on a loose surface. The only sure way is to remove
the white coating and replaster. There are some other methods, as
follows :

First size the wall with any of the following sizes ; the first and sec-
ond are most satisfactory :

Equal parts of dark sugar, molasses, glue and water.

Equal parts of alum, glue and sugar and water.

Equal parts of vinegar, glue and water.

Equal parts of glue, paste and water.

Next the wall should be lined, using wall paper, newspapers or mus-
lin. Newspapers and muslin give the best results. The newspapers
are to be pasted the same as wall paper (first sizing the walls), and
after hanging use paste brush in the same manner that a pouncing
brush is used. For the muslin, paste the wall and use paste brush the
same as a hanging brush.

— 587 —

How to Mix Color for Graining in Imitation of Light Oak.

For graining in oil, mix raw Italian sienna in oil, a trifle of raw Tur-
key umber, also ground fine in oil and a small portion of bolted whiting
with boiled linseed oil, adding a small portion of liquid drier. The
whiting is added to keep the color from running together after comb-
ing. For dark oak, a trifle of burnt umber or burnt sienna may be
added to the above, according to the effect desired. Sometimes oak
graining is glazed with asphaltum, wiping out large blazes of lights,
and dark spots are put in with a sash tool. For this purpose the as-
phaltum is dissolved in spirits of turpentine and a little boiled linseed
oil added to prevent quick setting.

— 588 —

Coating for Oil Skins, Such As Are Worn by Seamen and Fishermen.

To make seamen's oil skins fine drilled calico is dipped into bullock's
blood and dried thoroughly in a current of air; then 2 or 3 coats of raw
linseed oil are applied by dipping or brushing and allowing each coat
to dry thoroughly before applying another. The oil must be prepared
by adding one ounce of powdered litharge to each pint of the oil, stir-

7S9 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED. 241

ring it occasionally, and allowing to settle after 24 hours, then decant-
ing the oil from the sediment of litharge. The drying should be accom-
plished under a shed, where there is a good current of air, but where
the cloth is protected from the rays of the sun and from rain. For
yellow goods a little medium chrome yellow ground in oil or French
ocher may be added to the oil ; for black goods, lampblack in oil is the
best coloring agent.

To waterproof fishermen's coats of linen or muslin make a stout
paint of yellow ocher for yellow or of lampblack for black, using these
colors ground in oil, thinning with pure boiled linseed oil only and add
to each quart of the paint one ounce of brown soap that has been dis-
solved by moderate heat in some of the oil used for thinning. Lay the
goods on a table and apply the paint with a stiff brush, rubbing it in
well ; then hang the cloth up to dry in the most airy place at your com-
mand. If it is more convenient, do not put the soap into the oil or
paint, but in painting take the brown soap in your left hand and every
time the brush is to be refilled with paint rub it first over the soap.
This method is troublesome, but the result is quite gratifying. Two
coatings are necessary.

A simpler and cheaper method of waterproofing canvas or muslih,
linen, etc., is to dissolve 4 ounces of yellow soap in 6 pints of water by
boiling, then stirring into the solution, while still on the fire, one gallon
of boiled linseed oil, and when well mixed and limpid, it is taken from
the fire and allowed to cool. When cold one pint of gold size is added.
This preparation may be colored with chrome yellow for yellow and
lampblack for black.

— 589 —

Indelible Crayon for Lettering on Cloth or Muslin Without Sizing.

There are crayons made for marking on glass, which would also^
serve your purpose, and we have no doubt that you can obtain the right
kind in one of the large stores dealing in drawing materials or artists'
supplies. Crayons are usually made from pipe clay and fine chalk,
colored to suit, mixed with pale or sweet ale and a bit of fish glue,
but these will rub or wash oft in contact with water. To render them
indelible wax or wax and soap is used with color, but the pipe clay and
chalk are omitted.

— 590 —

Probable Cause of Softening of Letters Painted on Glass.

Some letters were painted on the inside of a glass door, the entrance
to a telephone stock and construction room, in which soft coal is
burned in a furnace, and in which room the chemicals used in bat-
teries emit vapors. When the letters, which were painted with white
lead, oil, turps and a little japan, were finished, they were firm and
clean cut, but after being on a week they appeared wasted and trans-
parent, and the edges had wrinkled and become irregular, and the
paint, though apparently firm on the glass, chalked or powdered when
rubbed hard with the finger. The letters applied on other doors in the
building were all right, although the same paint was used.

242 7S9 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED.

We would certainly advise you to put your letters on the outside
this time and use a little good varnish in place of the oil in mixing
your color, because we think you did not have sufficient binder under
the conditions in that room. There is no doubt that the sulphur gases
from the furnace, in connection with the vapors from the chemicals
used in the batteries, were the chief cause of the trouble and affected
your binder, as well as the white lead. In chemical laboratories lead
paints are not used, for the very reason you have mentioned as the
probable cause of the trouble. Had you used zinc white instead of keg
lead, and a good varnish in place of oil, the paint would hardly have
failed as it did.

— 591 —

Black for Imitation of Ebony.

A black more intense than drop black toned up with Prussian blue
was desired, in order to make a stain in imitation of ebony.

Gas carbon black is the strongest of all insoluble blacks, but its tone
is too brownish for a good imitation of ebony. There are, however,
aniline blacks, known to the trade as oil blacks because soluble in oils,
and one of these* will suit your purpose best without doubt. Ask your
supply house to obtain samples of such for you, stating with what me-
diums you wish to use them. They are fairly permanent and well suited
for the work you mention.

! —593 —

Substitute for Gutta Percha for Insulating.

We do not know where a good substitute for gutta percha may be
procured, but can recommend the following composition as being a
good insulator and considerably cheaper than the pure article :

Eighteen parts by weight of pitch, 9 parts by weight of calcium hy-
drate (slaked lime), 24 parts by weight of pure gutta percha.

For the pitch, coal tar may be substituted, and in either case the
solvent used for the pure gutta percha may be used. A good composi-
tion for iilsulating may be made of one part Swedish tar, one part rosin
and three parts of gutta percha, all by weight.

— 593 —
Tenacious Paint for Sheet Metal.

Paint made in the proper way and baked on thoroughly will not
crack or peel off from sheet iron or sheet steel when the metal is bent.
Such a paint is best made from colors that are ground fine in paste form
in pure boiled linseed oil and reduced to liquid form with a good, elas-
tic baking varnish, which is applied in a flowing coat and immediately,
before it has time to set too hard, placed into the baking apparatus.
It must be baked at as high a temperature as the color will stand with-
out change.

7S9 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED. 243

— 594 —

Green Filler for Natural Oak and Green Glaze for Oak Graining.

The most durable green glaze is made from French verdigris,
ground to the utmost degree of fineness in varnish and thinned with
varnish for application. If there is no haste about drying, it may be
used, ground in oil and thinned with oil and the necessary driers.
Should the tone of verdigris be too bluish, a mixture of verdigris and
yellow lake will give a very rich green glaze of the sap green tone.

As to a green filler for oak, any good grade of light paste wood filler
may be stained with terra verte or green earth, chrome green being too
opaque, or verdigris may be used, very little being required. Mala-
chite, the natural mineral green, is not to be had readily, and the ani-
line color sold under that name is not fast to light. To make a green
stain for natural oak, one that will not fade on being exposed to strong
light, and will be inexpensive, we should recommend the use of chem-
ically pure chrome green, toned with a strong raw Italian sienna of
yellow tone and light gravity. Very little coloring matter is required
for such a stain, and, though more costly than one made of aniline dye,
it outlasts the latter fifty to one. We cannot give proportions, which
depend entirely on the strength of the material and the effect desired.

— 595 —

Black Enamel for Stove Pipes and Similar Sheet Iron Work.

Any good asphaltum varnish, free from admixture with rosin, and
with as little linseed oil as elasticity will permit, will suit the purpose.
If rosin is introduced in stove pipe enamel, it will blister from- the
effect of the heat. Fuse in an iron kettle 100 lbs. of best Cuban as-
phaltum with 6 gallons boiled linseed oil, that has been boiled pre-
viously with 5 per cent, lead oxide, take from fire, and, when partially
cooled, thin down with 24 gallons spirits of turpentine. For a second
grade use the same quantity of asphaltum and linseed oil, but thin with
8 gallons turpentine and 16 gallons deodorized naphtha of 63 deg. Be,
adding the turpentine first to prevent too great a loss by evaporation
through heat. If the brown-black tone of the asphaltum is undesirable
some varnish makers' black may be substituted for part of the as-
phaltum.

— 596 —

Graining Caskets of Whitewood in Imitation of Rosewood.

To begin with, close grained wood, like whitewood, is best for imi-
tation of rosewood. The tools required are a flat brush, blender,
fitches, camel's hair pencil and sponge. The wood is first primed with
white lead, that is strongly tinted with Indian red, tinted with oil, turps
and japan, so as to dry semi-flat. The ground — that is, the next coat
over the priming — should be drop black, so mixed as to dry with egg-
shell gloss. It is best to use it ground in japan and thinned with tur-
pentine and a little varnish. On this, when dry, spread the graining
color, which consists of rose pink and drop black, and may be in oil or
in japan, thinned so as to work out freely and not run together on
wiping out. Wipe out with the sponge or flat brush. Put in the grains

244 7^ PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED.

with the top grainer and pencils. Glaze with a mixture of rose pink
and asphaltum, and wipe out knots or shadows to suit the fancy.
When the surface has become hard enough, apply a coat of hard drying
rubbing varnish, and rub down with pumice and water, wipe
up and allow to dry thoroughly, then give a second coat of rubbing
varnish and rub down again with pumice and water. When
this is thoroughly cleaned up and wiped with chamois skin it is time to
stripe, gild or otherwise ornament the casket, then carefully wipe and
dust, then give a flowing coat of casket varnish and allow to dry hard
in a closed, dust-free room. The glazing cannot be done, as you would
have it, after striping or gilding ; it must be done before any varnish
even is applied.

— 597 —

Preparing a Ceiling of Yellow Pine Previous to Painting.

We would say that the ceiling should have one thin coat of shellac
varnish, and that white shellac is best, if the ceiling is to be painted
white or in a light tint. While, as a rule, the killing of sap is not es-
sential where the sun does not strike the surface, it is a wise precaution
to hold back the sap with a coat of shellac, especially when the paint is
to be in flat finish. It will give more smoothness and uniformity to-
the paint, acting as a filler.

— 598 —

Imitating Birch by Staining Pine and Spruce.

We think you will find it very difficult to closely imitate on any pine
or spruce timber the appearance or color of birchwood with an oil slain?
or any other kind of stain. Black birch, if that is the veneering you
have in view, closely resembles wild cherry in color, and differs uiatcri-
ally in growth from pine and spruce. Unless the work is veiy poorly
paid, ignore liquid glue, which is probably all right for plastered work
but not for wainscoting and door casings or window frames, whlclt
may be subject to moisture, and use varnish instead, to which add a
trifle burnt sienna, a trifle raw sienna and a little burnt umber. Try it
on a testing board first, and keep on till you succeed.

— 599 —

The Cause of Paint Peeling from Putty.

A painter puts the glass into the sash one day and paints the next ;
but when the sash is hung, and he starts to finish, he often finds the
paint peeled from the putty, especially at the bottom of the sash. He
states that he buys the best materials he can find on the market.

Your trouble is due to expansion and contraction. Ordinary or
glaziers putty, which is composed of whiting (chalk) and linseed oil,
does not dry hard enough in twenty-four hours to admit of being
painted with oil paint that usually contains enough japan to dry in
twelve hours, superficially at least. Many commercial grades of
glazier's putty contain but little or no linseed oil, but are made with the

' 739 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED. 245

•so-called putty oil (a deodorized mineral oil), and will not dry for a
week. If yoii wish your putty to dry in twenty-four hours you had bet-
ter mix enough dry white lead with it to harden it more quickly, or
.wait until the putty is hard before you apply your paint.

— 600 —

Rubbing with Pumice and Oil or Pumice and Water.

Rubbing with pumice and oil makes polishing more easy than rub-
ting with pumice and water. But the latter plan is surest, when the
operator is working with varnish, whose drying and hardening proper-
ties he is not thoroughly acquainted with, or if the operator is a be-
ginner in that line of the trade. If the oil and pumice are allowed to
remain on the rubbed surface too long, the varnish is liable to become
soft, and a ruined surface is the result. On the other hand, water tends
to harden varnish, that may have a slight tendency to tackiness, and
the work can be proceeded with more quickly.

— 601 —

Cause of White Lead and Oil Thickening After Being Mixed Ready

for Use.

In each of the following mixtures the paint thickened after being
mixed ready for use and looked like chilled kalsomine and would not
cover :

1. White lead and oil only.

2. White lead, oil and a fair quantity of japan.

3. White lead, oil and varnish.

4. White lead, raw oil and patent dryer.

From your descriptiort, we should judge that you got hold of a batch
of the so-called pulp ground keg lead, which was imperfectly treated —
that is, the water was not thoroughly separated or eliminated from the
lead during the process of mixing the pulp lead with the oil. We will
not say so positively, because we do not know for certain whether the
brand you mention is manipulated that way, but we have good reasons
for the belief that such is the case. If we are correct, the explanation
is very simple ; the moisture still present in such lead will bring about
an emulsion of the oil, which causes the thickening after thinning for
use, and loss of body. There is, however, still another possible reason,
and that is an excess of hydroxide in the composition of that particular
batch of white lead, which also tends to a thickening, livering or pud-
ding up of the paint, no matter how it may be mixed. If you have any
of the white lead on hand from the identical package that is not yet
thinned, Ve would suggest to you the following test : Procure a blow-
pipe and a piece of soft willow charcoal, dig into the latter a small
cavity, into which you place a little of the white lead (about the size of
a pepper corn), and with the aid of the flame of an alcohol lamp or a
gas burner direct the blast from the blowpipe on the lead, and if the
latter splutters strongly when the blast first touches it, you may be
sure that there is moisture present. White lead ground from the dry
material may splutter very slightly from the burning of the linseed
oil, but will not do it to the extent of the pulp ground article.

246 ' 739 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED, '

— 602 —

Water Stain to Produce the Weathered Effect on Oak.

Weathered oak is the effect given the wood by exposure to the ele-
ments, and it is only necessary to bring about a similar effect more
quickly by artificial means. Water color stains do not penetrate deep
enough into the wood to make the effect strong enough, hence solu-
tions of other material than color are being employed for the purpose.
Aqua ammonia alone, applied with a rag or brush repeatedly, will
darken the color of oak to a weathered effect, but is not very desirable,
because of its tendency to raise the grain. Bichromate of potash, dis-
solved in cold water, applied in a like manner, until the desired depth is
obtained, will serve the purpose. These washes or solutions, how-
ver, do not give the dark, almost black, effect that is at the present
time expected for weathered oak, and in order to produce this, 4 oz.
of logwood chips and 3 oz. of green copperas should be boiled together
in 2 quarts of water for 40 minutes and the solution applied hot. When
this has dried, it should be gone over with a wash made from 4 oz. steel
filings and one pint of strong vinegar. The steel filings are previously
put into the vinegar and allowed to stand for several days. This will
penetrate into the wood deeply, and the stain will be permanent.

Picture frame manufacturers use a quick-drying stain, made from
aniline blacks, that are soluble in wood spirit or amylacetate, and add
wood alcohol shellac as a binder.

— 603 —

Painting a Hearse in Black Finish.

If the hearse be a new one, sandpaper smooth and dust off thorough-
ly every part of the body and running gears as well. Mix pure white
lead in oil (keg lead) with lamp black to dark lead color and thin with
equal parts raw oil and turpentine, adding one tablespoonful of coach
japan to each quart of this if you wish to hurry the job somewhat,
otherwise omit the use of japan. Apply one coat of this priming thinly
and avoid brush marks by using chisel-point fiat brushes.

It would be far better, if time permitted, to have the priming coat all
oil, with only a very small portion of white lead and lamp black, but
time is a great factor nowadays, and durability is generally sacrificed
to a certain extent, When this priming is dry enough to admit of
sandpapering, go over it with No. i paper and then apply what is called
a first coat of lead, made from keg lead and lamp black, thinned with
one part raw oil and three parts turps, to which enough coach japan
should be added to make it dry hard enough to sandpaper in twenty-
four hours. Apply this lead with chisel-point bristle brushed and rub
out well, avoiding brush marks. Smooth down with No. J sandpaper.
Careful dusting after sandpapering must not be lost sight of, as it is
one of the most important features in producing a clean job. The sec-
ond coat of lead or flat lead is applied after surfacing with knifing in
lead or rough stuff and puttying. The running gear of a hearse may be
surfaced with "knifing in*' or "glazing lead," while the body part
should have at least three coats of rough stuff. The knifing in or glaz-
ing lead can be purchased from the manufacturer or prepared at the

739 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED. 247

shop by running through a hand paint mill two parts of dry white lead
and one part of keg lead, with enough equal parts of rubbing varnish
and coach japan to make a soft paste, which is thinned to working
consistency with a little turps. For black finish it is colored with some
lamp black. This is applied stout with a bristle brush and pressed in
arid smoothed down with a broad blade elastic putty knife, so that
very little sandpapering will be necessary for the after coats.

Puttying up is done on this knifing in coat, the putty consisting of
the glazing lead referred to stiffened with some dry white lead and a
little fine whiting that is well pounded on a block of wood with a
wooden mallet. When the putty has hardened sufficiently, go over all
with No. i sandpaper, dust carefully and apply the second coat or flat
lead. This should consist of very fine keg lead thinned with turpentine
only and a small portion of coach japan with enough lamp black to
give a dark lead color. Apply with a camel's hair brush, and when dry
go over it lightly with No. o sandpaper, then rub down with moss or
curled hair, using flour of pumice. This completes the surfacing for
the running parts, which are now ready for the color coats.

As to the body part, in order to make a first-class mirror-like job,
rough stuff surfacing is required. Purchase from your supply house
good one-day rough stuff or make it yourself by running through a
paint mill the following : Five pounds Reno's filler, and three pounds
stiff ground keg lead, with enough of equal parts quick rubbing varnish
and coach japan to make a fairly stiff paste. Thin with turpentine
and apply one coat per day, not less than three coats — four if necessary
to obtain good rubbing surface.

Putty up when last coat is dry, and let stand at least three days.
Apply a guide coat of the rough stuff, colored with fine yellow ocher
and made very thin with turps. In applying rough stuff, work rapidly
and thereby avoid brush marks. For rubbing down rough stuff on fine
jobs or high-grade carriage work, we would not advocate the use of
rubbing bricks, but instead recommend the use of best selected lump
pumice, shaped to suit the work in hand and well cleansed by washing
from all grit, always selecting the most porous stone. The utensils
required for rubbing rough stuff surface are plenty of clean water,
good sponges and chamois skins and an assortment of pumice stone.
Too much water should not be used, not more than to keep the stone
from gumming up, and straight strokes all in one direction and of uni-
form pressure are advised. To determine whether sufficient rubbing
has been done, the palm of the hand should be passed crosswise over
the rubbed surface. The rubbing satisfactorily accomplished, the sur-
face should be washed down thoroughly and dried with chamois skins,
the corners of moldings cleaned out with a pointed stick or suitable
stiff brush and the second or flat coat of lead color applied, which
makes the job ready for the color coats and finishing varnish.

To apply the black finish we would suggest the use of lamp black in
japan, thinned with turpentine and a tablespoonful of elastic rubbing
varnish to one pint of the thinned black, as first coat of black over the
flat lead color. This to be followed with one flat coat of highest grade
coach ivory black in japan and one coat of some black mixed
with elastic rubbing varnish, one day between coats. This

248 739 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED,

is to be followed by a flowing coat of rubbing varnish of
good body, which after three days is to be rubbed with pumice
and water, using oo powdered pumice and rubbing felt. For extra
good work two or three coats of rubbing varnish must be applied, and
€ach one rubbed down conscientiously. This done and proper time
having been given for guarding against possible sweating of the rubbed
surface, touch up with color any places that may have been rubbed
through and proceed to apply the finishing coats of varnish, which
should be flowed on carefully in a dust-free room of good warm tem-
perature.

— 604 —

Creosote Shingle Stains and Linseed Oil Stains.

Creosote stains for shingles have come in such high favor through
the belief that they have highly preservative properties, preventing
dry rot in the wood and also from the theory that creosote stains are
antiseptic and do not aifect the water that in many localities is col-
lected in cisterns from roofs of houses and barns, while there is a gen-
eral idea that paint acts injuriously upon water so collected and makes
it unfit for the use of man or beast. While we do not share such belief
we are of the opinion, and, in fact, know, that a creosote stain, when
well made, will answer the purpose of protecting shingles against dry
rot, etc., better than a linseed oil stain, because it penetrates deeper
into the wood and being very slow to dry lasts longer and does not
require repainting one-half as often as ordinary linseed oil stain or
paint. Another point in its favor is that on shingles well dipped into
creosote stain before they are laid, and given another coat after being
in place on a roof or on the gable end of a cottage, mildew or fungus
growth cannot establish itself upon it, as is the case with oil stains
with mineral or earthy paint bases. In our own experience we found
that a stain made from inert pigment, ground in oil, thinned with pine
tar, liquid drier and benzine or kerosene, and applied to the shingles the
same as creosote stain, the shingles being laid on neighboring roofs,
preservv.d the shingles fully as well after an exposure of four years,
the oil and pine tar stains had held their color better. In another in-
stance, where linseed oil paints, white and moss green, were simply
thinned with benzine, into which preparation the shingles were
dipped, then laid and given a coat of the stain, the color held out well,
but the' shingles showed dry rot in many places and required relaying.
You will find it a difficult matter to overcome the tendency to favor
creosote shingle stains.

— 605 —

Silica for a Brick or Cement Wash.

Silica, when obtained from flint, is called silex, and that obtained
from sand or quartz is known as silica or silver white. Pure silex does
not contain lime in any form, hence there is no lime preparation that
equals it in character. Commercial whiting consists of about 84 per
cent, carbonate of lime in the form of chalk and 16 per cent, of silex
or silica (flint or sand). Silex would not improve whitewash in either

739 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED, 249

body or binding properties, as it is a very brittle material. Fine whit-
ing is often added to whitewash to improve its body, glue or rice flour
to improve its binding properties, dairy salt to keep the whitewash
from drying too quickly and from rubbing off after drying, but we
can see no advantage whatever that could be gained from the addition
of silica, silex, marble dust and similar whites.

— 606 —

Imitating Mahogany by Staining with Acid.

Your question isnot quite clear; if you wish to imitate mahogany by
the use of acid, beechwood is best suited. Have this planed smooth,
then rub the surface with a solution of nitric acid, which you can get
from any druggist. When this has colored the wood sufficiently, apply
with a soft brush the following spirit varnish : One ounce of dragon's
blood dissolved in one pint of alcohol. The solution is mixed with one-
half ounce of carbonate of soda and filtered before use. Should you
desire, however, to simply darken mahogany in certain places by burn-
ing, use dilute nitric acid, and when spaces are sufficiently dark, wash
over with soda water to neutralize remaining traces of the acid.

— 607 -i-

Finishing the Top of a Barroom, Counter.

The only reliable finish for this class of tops is the old fashioned oil
polish, as neither varnish polish by the American or French process
will stand the continual wetting and the effect of the liquids. Oil pol-
ish will stand this and allow the tops to remain in good condition. The
process, though very simple, is very tedious and therefore not much
in favor, but if customers are willing to pay for it, the painter should
not hesitate to undertake the job. If the top is a new one, it should
first be stained to suit the taste with oil stain and then filled with col-
ored paste filler, and when this is dry, smooth sandpapered. Then
boiled linseed oil is applied with a brush and immediately rubbed in
with a rubber made by wrapping a piece of felt around a flat stone (the
heavier the better). After the first rubbing the work is allowed to
stand for a week, when a second rubbing is given in the same manner
and so on until a satisfactory surface and polish is obtained. This may
occupy six weeks, and the way it is usually done, the rubbing is begun
on closing the bar and a false top placed over the work until it is fin-
ished. If the top be an old one and in good condition, it simply re-
quires smooth sandpapering and touching up with stain before resort-
ing to the oil polish.

— 608 —

Why Lime or Lime Water Is Used in Cement Wash.

Referring back to No. 580.

By lime water we mean a saturated solution of lime, or as much
lime in the water as it will take up. A little excess of lime would not
Lime water is added to the cement wash because it imparts binding
properties to the wash which it would not have if clear water was used
only.. The salt is added to keep the wash from setting too quickly
and assist in absorbing moisture. If well dissolved before it is added

250 7S9 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED.

to the wash it will not cause discoloration. The paragraph in ques-
tion was the answer to an inquiry for the proper binder for a cement
wash for new laid walls, partly concrete, brick and stone, that were
to be made to look good for a time without rough plaster or paint ; in
other words, a temporary expedient until the walls were thought safe
to paint after a year or so. This cement wash was decided upon as
best, because it would not hinder the expulsion of moisture nor the
neutralization of the caustic properties of the lime in the newly laid
mortar.

— 609 —

Renovating a Surface in Zinc White That Is Badly Cracked.

The front, shelving and counters of a dry goods store had been
painted with zinc white and had cracked badly. Is there any way to
make a fifst class job without removing the old paint?

We say emphatically. No! A good job cannot be made except by
removing the old paint and building up from the foundation. You say
that it is badly cracked, therefore it is probable that the cracks extend
clean down to the wood, and in such case, no matter what you may
do, the cracks will show up through the new paint in a short time. We
do not suspect the shelvings and counters of a country dry goods store
to have many, if any, coats of white lead as a foundation for the zinc
coats, and in consequence it would not do any good to sandpaper down
the zinc coats as much as possible and then fill in with a few lead coats.
The best plan is to remove the old paint and prime and first coat with
pure lead, and use zinc white for the finishing coat only. If the lead is
held flat it will not strike through one coat of zinc.

— 610 —

White Lead and Oil Paint Going Black on North and East Exposures

Repeatedly.

A house was painted in the spring, using a certain brand of pure
white lead and oil. The base of the porch columns and window cas-
ings on the north and east sides turned black in four months. It was
painted again the next year by another firm, and come out blacker
than ever in less than two months. The base of the columns are pan-
eled and seem so porous the paint sinks right in. Originally the house
was painted bronze green and then white before the first painter
worked on it. There are no trees round the house.

The brand of white lead you mention is of first class quality and
strictly pure, and in our opinion has nothing at all to do with the
trouble. We think that the failure is due to local faults, which might
be mildew or brought about by moisture from within. White lead and
oil paint alone is scarcely ever affected by mildew, unless there is
moisture present when the paint is not quite dry. If the trouble is due
to mildew, your proposed two coats of red lead and white lead will not
correct the fault, and we would suggest that you persuade the owner of
the house to have one or more of the panels in the porch columns re-
moved, and the paint thereon subjected to microscopical examination,
in order to discover whether the blackening of the paint is actually due

739 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED. 251

to mildew or to wet rot in the lumber. In the latter case there is no
remedy but to remove and replace the panels and window casings, the
dwelling becoming unsanita^^y in time from this house rot or fungus.
If the timber is sound, then the trouble is from without, and if your
plan of red lead priming (after removing all the old ^aint preferably by
burning off) is followed, the red lead paint holds not too oily and the
white made to dry reasonably quickly, further blacking of the white
may be arrested.

— en-
Keeping Back the Sap in California Pine.

We often find it difficult even to kill the knots in white pine when
they are simply touched up with shellac varnish and not more than
two coats of paint are applied. No matter how dark the tint may be,
the knots will show through as soon as the last coat of paint is fairly
dry, especially on southern exposures. In your case, however, it is not
so much a question of knots as of sap throughout. We would suggest
that you make a priming of equal parts by weight of pure white lead in
oil and pure dry red lead, using two parts raw oil and one part spirits
of turpentine for thinning, making the prime rather thin and rutbing it
well into the wood. Do not mix more at one time than can be used the
same day. Paint placed over this priming is not likely to peel or blister
if of fair quality and properly applied. On this lumber, especially,
every coat applied over the priming should be applied stout, but
brushed out thin.

— 612 —

How Shingle Stains Can Be Produced Cheaply and How Shingles Are

Dipped.

See No. 604, but for your special benefit we would add that if
your creosote stains fade badly and your oil stains become darker on
exposure, you have not taken care to allow for change in drying out
and have not selected your coloring matter with a view to fastness to
light. Take a good quality of liquid paint of the proper color, or take
oil color and thin with raw linseed oil to the consistence of liquid paint,
not omitting a little japan, thin either of these mixtures with equal
parts of benzine and kerosene, making it almost as liquid as water, so
that when shingle wood is dipped into it, it merely colors the strip, so
that when set up it shows the effect desired.

To dip the shingles, any convenient vessel is proper, be it a shallow
box, keg or barrel into which the shingles may be stood to the depth
required to be stained. After a few minutes' immersion they are
thrown aside to make room for others. When the shingles have been
laid on roofs, as a rule here in the East, one coat of the stain is applied
with large brushes.

— 613 —

How a First-Class Job of Flat Work Is Produced.

We must assume that you refer to interior work in white or in tints.
On new woodwork a priming of white lead in oil, a second coat of
white lead, thinned with equal parts oil and turps and a third coat of

252 7S9 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED.

white lead, thinned all turps, with a small portion of white japan in
each, is sufficient for a good foundation for a good flat finish, providing
brush marks have been Avoided and th^ last coat of lead sjnoothed
down with No. J sandpaper. Next one coat of best French zinc white
in oil is thinned with turpentine and a little white japan, applied with
a chisel-point flat brush. This dries with eggshell gloss, if manipu-
lated properly, and the job is then finished with one coat of French
zinc in damar varnish, thinned with turpentine only and applied with a
camel's hair brush. A job done in this way gives an air of solidity
and will not turn yellow. For plastered walls we would recommend
the same method, excepting that the first coat of lead be applied direct-
ly on the wall without any size, and that puttying, if necessary, be done
on this priming coat. Then a glue size is to follow before the half and
half lead is applied, to stop further suction, or in place of glue size, a
thin coat of wall or suction varnish may be given. Balance of work to
be the same as for woodwork. For tinted work the ground coats
should be of the same color as the finish. For old work, the surface
should be prepared by cutting out cracks and plastering or puttuying
up preparatory to painting and all new patchwork or cut out and filled
in cracks touched up to match the old color. In such case, one coat of
lead, thinned equal oil and turps, and the two coats of zinc white as
above will generally suffice, but good care must be taken that the ren-
ovated places will not show through.

— 614 —

The Best Wax for Polishing Hardwood Floors.

The wax that has the highest melting point is best for the purpose,
because of its hardness after application. Brazilian or Carnauba wax
has that property, its melting point being about 185 deg. F., while
bleached beeswax melts at 145 deg. F. and paraffine waxes will melt at
as low a temperature as 115 deg. F.

Carnauba wax, ntelted in a suitable kettle and thinned with spirits of
turpentine, so that on cooling it has the consistency of soft tallow, is an
excellent article for the purpose. The wax should be applied in that
consistency to the floor with a large brush as evenly as possible, per-
mitted to set and then rubbed with a weighted floor brush. When
the floor is new two coats are required, one to fill and level up, the sec-
ond to give luster. If the work is well done heel marks will not show
to any extent. Elbow grease is a factor here, as in many other things
pertaining to the work of the painter.

— 615 —

Rubbed Varnish Surface on Interiors.

Several rooms that have been varnished are to be rubbed dowo and
given another coat of varnish. Walls and ceilings are all wood.

The best material for rubbing is steel wool or curled hair, powdered
pumice and water. We cannot say what price per yard you should base
your figures on, as we do not know whether you intend to simply
"moss*' it down or rub to a dead finish. The job may be worth from
ten cents to forty cents per yard ; it all depends on how much labor
you expect to expend upon it. For simply mossing, that is, '^knocking

739 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED, 253

off" the gloss, we should say fifteen cents per square yard where there
are no moldings, or for rubbing to a dead finish thirty cents per yard
we should consider a fair price, but if there are many moldings in the
room you should charge ten cents more pei? yard in either case. For
applying the succeeding coat or varnish we should say that six cents
per yard for labor would be about proper, the varnish to be calculated
at cost, one gallon for fifty yards.

— 616 —

How Sea Shells May Be Cleaned and Polished.

There are several ways to accomplish this. First, boil in a strong
solution of potash, then polish with hydrochloric acid and whiting.

Second, clean the surface with hydrochloric acid until the outer skin
is removed. Wash in warm water and dry in sawdust, then polish with
chamois skin. If the shell has no natural gloss, rub with tripoli and
turpentine, using chamois skin, apd finish with olive oil.

Third, rough shells are first ground on a coarse stone, then smoothed
with pumice and water on a buflfer wheel or with a hand polisher and
finished with rotten stone.

^ — 617 —

Best Shingles for Roofs and How to Coat Them.

The roof of a large barn has shingling lath about twelve and one-half
inches apart. Could a good and lasting job be made by using eigh-
teen-inch shingles, dipping them in either hot linseed or hot petroleum
oil or applying either after the shingles are laid? What kind of shin-
gles are best?

If you use 18-inch shingles you will need to put intermediate laths^
as no shingle should show more than one-third its face to the weather.
Cedar, juniper and cypress are undoubtedly the best woods for
shingles. Yellow pine shingles will outlast those made from the softer
woods, but are apt to split, while beechwood would be lighter and less
liable to warping and splitting. Where redwood shingles can be ob-
tained they are excellent. If you do not care to have the shingles
stained and object to creosote, we would suggest that you procure a
solution of persulphate of iron, marking 2 to 2j deg. Be', into which
dip the shingles. Then, when they are laid on the roof, give them a
good coat of hot, raw linseed oil with a paint brush, which will remove
the bluish tint given by the solution on drying, changing it to a brown,
giving the appearance of being weathered. There will be no harm
done in giving an old shingle roof a coat of raw linseed oil hot.

— 618 —

Thinning of Varnish That Has Become Too Stout.

You must not use gasoline for thinning varnish at any time, as
it is entirely too volatile. You can thin with 62 deg. benzine, providing
the properties of the varnish will stand such treatment without becom-
ing turbid, but we would suggest that you use pure spirits of turpen-
tine to be on the safe side, or make a trial with benzine on a small scale
before taking the risk of ruining a lot of valuable material. In any

254 739 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED,

case, however, we should advise you to take the cork out of your var-
nish can and set the can in a vessel of hot water, and do the same with
your turpentine or benzine, in order to have both the varnish and thin-
ners of about the same temperature on mixing. When you have suc-
ceeded in thinning the varnish without its becoming turbid or showing
rubber-like separation it will be well to permit it to set for a few days
in a warm place ; otherwise it is liable to give a sandy appearance to
the work.

_6i9 —
To Remove Wax or Shellac from Floors.

To remove wax from floors use benzine or gasoline and a good
scrubbing brush ; give the benzine time to soften the wax. To remove
the shellac from floors use amylacetate, acetone, wood alcohol and
fusel oil, but have plenty of ventilation in the room.

— 620 —

Virtue or Value in Paint Made from Paint Skins.

There are several ways to recover useful material from paint skins
that are fairly oily and soft, but all labor is lost on the- hard scrapings
that require to be chipped from sides of mixing pots or paint pots, or
when it has to be resolved by means of caustic potash or lime. Paint
skins while still oily and elastic may be boiled over a moderate fire
with an addition of linseed oil, when the valuable paint material in the
skins will soften, so that by straining it may be freed from the useless
resinified, insoluble matter. This makes a first-class paint for roofs
and general painting, but should not be used for priming under any
conditions, because top coats would be apt to peel from it. The best
method, however, so far as economy is concerned, is to keep a skin
paint receptacle in the shop, have all remnants from pots and mixers
deposited therein, and run the material through paint mill and strainer
before it becomes too old and fatty.

— 631 —

Oak Finished with Water Stain and Wax.

When water stain and wax finish are specified filler is not called for, '
because the wax is expected to act as filling and will do so if properly
employed. Have the surface well planed and smooth sandpapered,
then apply the water stain of the color desired as often as required to
give the desired effect, then apply your wax. This you can prepare by
melting good pure yellow beeswax (the harder waxes are admissible
for floors, but not for furniture or the woodwork about hall or room) in
a water bath with turpentine, say one pound beeswax to three pints
turpentine. The consistency of the wax should be that of cream, ap-
plied with a brush and allowed to set for at least one-half day, if pos-
sible twenty-four hours, then it should be rubbed over briskly with a
suitable brush until it shows a polish. The first coat on new wood
acting as filler merely, a second coat will be required for a good job.
In our opinion, water stain and wax finish is about the most economical
and while it would not look as well on other woods, makes a first-class

739 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED, 255

appearance on oak. The drawback about this method of wood finish-
ing is that it will not stand dampness or wetting.

— 622 —

Removing Paint that Has Been Sanded.

The most effective and surest method will be burning off with the
torch, using the scraper. On account of the sand, paint removers will
not answer as well as they probably would if only the oil paint was
there. Scraping alone is too slow and tedious a process.

— 633 —
Preparation for Flatting Varnish.

An article was wanted that would flat varnish so it will not scratch
and that paint applied over it will not peel. The inquirer had heard
that Danish painters use a powder which they grind in turpentine and
mix with the varnish to obtain the result referred to.

We have not heard of the powder you refer to, nor do we know of
any preparation that will keep varnish from scratching. At any rate,
what has the flatting to do with the scratching? Varnish that will
dry flat and haid can be made by treating the resins, or gums, with
caustic soda and after a thorough washing and drying of the resulting
precipitate, it may be dissolved in either benzine or turpentine, pro-
ducing a dead flat surface of great hardness in either case, when applied
in the manner of varnish. Why not buy a flatting varnish, instead of
risking spoiling a lot of good varnish by adding to it something un-
known or untried ?

— 624 —

Cheap Size for New or Whitewashed Plastered Walls to Be Kal-

somined.

To size a new plastered wall for kalsomine, make a size of good pale
glue, one pound; rosin soap, one pound; alum, two pounds. Soak the
glue in cold water until soft, pour off the water that has not been taken
up and pour on boiling water until all the glue ha§ dissolved. Slice
the soap fine and dissolve in hot water, and do the same with the alum.
Stir the glue and soap solutions together, then add the alum solution.
Thin the mixture with enough water to make it work well under the
brush. Give two coats if one is not sufficient to stop suction in the
wall. A simple glue size is often sufficient, but the glue, soap and alum
size is better. When walls have been whitewashed and the wash is
firm treat the walls to a wash of strong vinegar, and when this has
dried give one or two coats of warm glue size, which should be rather
thin to penetrate the whitewash and hold it firmly to the plaster.
There is nothing more economical.

256 729 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED.

— 635 —

Unfading Blue, Red and Yellow for Interior Wall Painting.

For wall painting lime proof colors should be selected, and among
these may be classed cobalt blue, indigo blue, ultramarine blue and
blue smalt ; Indian yellow, Naples yellow and permanent or zinc yel-
low ; English vermilion. Madder lake and a comparatively recent pro-
duct, a very brilliant red, sold under various proprietary names, such
as permanent, durable or unfading red.

— 636 —

. Klalsomining Over Old Wall Paper*

Old wall paper should always be removed before kalsomining, and
the wall treated to a thin size of glue, so as to make the kalsomine
dry out uniform and evenly. When, however, it is necessary to apply
kalsomine over wall paper, the paper should be given one or two coats
of thin glue size, which is best applied fairly warm so as to penetrate
deeply. If the paper does not become loose on or immediately after
the application of the size, it is safe to go ahead with the kalsomine.
A thin coat or two of thin wall or suction varnish will sometimes ser\'e
even better.

— 637 —

A Pu22le in Paints Out in Oregon.

A school building in Oregon was painted when erected, and tw^o
years later was in such bad condition as to make repainting necessary.
The condition of the paint gave the appearance of pebble embossed
wall paper. It looked as though the paint had parted more in some
places than in others. Three years later the school house looked worse
than ever, while a residence next door painted at the same time, with
the same material, was in good condition*

From your description we would assume that it is an aggravated
case of alligatoring, which may be brought about by too heavy a prim-
ing coat that was not given time to dry and harden before the succeed-
ing coat or coats were put on. Fatty linseed oil or rosin oil in the
priming coat, and rosin oil or rosin varnish in the finishing coat will
produce the very effect described by you. The only remedy in such a
case is to burn off the paint clean to the wood before repainting, and
paint with good materials from the very foundation in the proper
manner.

— 638 —

How Ink Stains May Be Removed from Floors.

After scouring the spots with moistened sand, apply a solution of
one pound of oil of vitriol and two quarts of water. If this discolors
the wood to any extent, bleach with a saturated solution of oxalic acid.
If the ink stains are not too old, an application of a paste made of
chloride of lime and water will also remove them. The paste is put
over the spots in a fairly thick layer and allowed to remain until nearly
dry, when the layer is removed with a knife or spatula, and the spots-
washed with lukewarm water. Repeat the operation if not successful
on first application.

739 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED, 257

— 629 —

Cleaning Brushes That Have Been Used in Shellac Varnish.

Shellac brushes are usually kept in the shellac varnish, which is
thinned with alcohol from time to time to keep it fairly liquid. When
taken out of the varnish, the brush can be washed out readily with
methylated spirit, acetone or wood alcohol, and this is the only safe
method of cleaning such brushes. Wash out your shellac varnish
brushes at once, when through with them, in any of the spirits referred
to and keep them in a good brush keeper until needed again.

— 630 —

How to Fill Cracks in an Old Hard Pine Floor and Refinish by

Waxing.

In the first place the floor must be scoured thoroughly and allowed
to become thoroughly dry. The cracks must be cleaned of all dirt,
and if an oil putty is used, the edges of the cracks should be saturated
with linseed oil, boiled or raw, to which some drier is added. If the
cracks are not over a quarter of an inch in width, a pure linseed oil and
whiting putty, to which some dry white lead and enough dry raw
sienna to color it has been added, and all thoroughly kneeded together
must be pressed firmly into the cracks, smoothed down nicely by
wetting the putty knife with turpentine and allowed to dry hard and
firm, when the surface is sandpapered. If the cracks are wider than a
quarter of an inch they may be filled with a putty made from glue size,
whiting and sawdust, with enough raw sienna or ocher to color the
mass ; .or, better still, blotting paper is soaked in water, squeezed out
and kneeded into a fairly stiff mass with glue size and whiting and
colored with ocher or raw sienna and pressed firmly into the cracks.
None of these putties will shrink when pressed down firmly and per-
mitted to harden. You do not state whether the floor has been finished
beifore, but no matter; if it has worn very much you cannot be ex-
pected to make a first-class job of it, unless it is planed off. Before
beginning to wax it see that it is well sandpapered and, if desirable, ap-
ply a coat of hard drying stain, then give two coats of wax, the first
to act as a filler and the second as a finish. Purchase the so-called
Franch floor wax, which comes in the consistency of soft butter and
dries very hard, or make your own by melting beeswax in spirits of
turpentine, using a water bath, but not an open fire. Apply it with
a brush evenly and not too heavy, and when set up use a weighted
floor brush and you will economize in time and have a good job.

— 631 —

Cracking and Flaking of House Paint.

A frame hotel was painted and less than a year after
was ^ a mass of cracks and was flaking off badly. The
building had been painted twice before, using white lead and
linseed oil, but this time the painter was induced to use a mixed
paint. The surface was in good condition when he began to paint the
last time. The trimmings were Tuscan red, and showed no cracks at

258 739 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED,

all. The same paint failed on several other jobs, though it stood fairly
well when mixed with three parts of white lead.

This problem is easily solved when the composition of the pigment
in the brand of paint you mention is considered. You need not look
for the cause of the trouble in the old paint composed of pure white
lead and linseed oil, but you must traice it entirely to the poor qualities
of the pigment in the brand of paint you speak of. The reports that
have come to us from time to time from entirely reliable sources, as
well as the claims made for this paint by the parties interested in its
sale, convince us that its composition is not based upon time honored
principles or upon the practice of durable paint making that has been
established by decades, not to say centuries, of actual wear and tear.
So far as we know, there is no dishonesty practiced in the placing upon
the market of this brand of paint, the vehicle or thinners being free
from deleterious materials, but it seems to us that the pigment is not
well selected to withstand the ravages of the elements that exterior
painting is subjcted to. A paint composed of zinc oxide and sulphate
of barium cannot be expected to wear when it is used all the way
through from priming to finish on raw wood, especially when it con-
tains more than traces of free sulphur, as is sometimes the case with
the pigment in question. Nor will it stand well when two coats of
it are applied over old paint. It is bound to crack and flake in a short
lime, and the reason that it stood fairly well when one part of it was
mixed with three parts of pure white lead must be looked for in the
fact that in that case only about one-eighth of the total mixture con-
sisted of zinc oxide. The claim that because this brand does not con-
tain any lead at all it will hold its color does not hold good so long as
free sulphur in determinable quantities, no matter how small, is pres-
ent. Nor has this holding of color anything to do with the wear of
the paint. It would be better by far to have the paint fade or darken
and yet be in good condition for repainting than to have it crack,
flake or peel, making it necessary to remove it clean to the wood with
the paint burner or with a paint remover.

— 632 —

Can Blackened Orange Shellac Varnish Be Restored to Its Original

Color?

Yes, it can be done by filtering through charred bones, but there is
so much loss in the operation that the game is not worth the candle,
and, besides, it entails much trouble and expense.

— 633 —

Spotting of Paint on Gable End Walls.

A gable end wall, the surface of which was in good condition, and
had been painted every three years, several times, by the same painter,
was given in the spring two coats of pure white lead, tinted with drop
black and yellow ocher, and for seven months the job looked very well,
but in the fall it began to spot in several places. He mixed the lead
and colors for first coat two-thirds boiled oil, one-third turps, adding
gold size japan ; for second coat, equal boiled oil and turpentine, with
gold size japan for drier.

739 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED. 259

The material and source of supply you mention would indicate that
they were first class and strictly pure, but we are of the opinion that
the practice of thinning the materials was radically wrong for exterior
work. We do not criticise your method of thinning for first coat on
old paint, but your second coat should not, under any circumstances,
have had any turpentine. With the oil of the present day it is difficult
enough to retain gloss for any length of time without shortening its
life by drowning it with turpentine, and it i^ a wonder that it did not
spot much sooner. That it spotted only in certain places appears to
b^ due to the fact that such places in the old paint were more ab-
sorbent than others. We think that boiled linseed oil is not the proper
vehicle to employ with white lead paint on exposed surfaces, and are
certain that pure, well-settled raw linseed oil will wear longer. When
exposed surfaces of paint begin to spot in places it means that the oil
in the paint has either been absorbed by porosity underneath, or that
it has begun to perish. In either case it is detrimental to the appear-
ance and to the wear or life of the paint.

— 634 —

Priming or First Coating Exterior Brick Walls.

It is required to paint a brick -house that is fifty years old, the walls
of which have never been painted or coated in any way.

In a brick wall of the age you mention there is no danger from
caustic properties in the mortar used in the joints, unless the wall has
been recently pointed. First give the wall a good brushing with a
stiflf corn broom to clean it from dust or loose sand, and before prim-
ing see that the wall is dry. You must not under any consideration
seal up moisture in the bricks, or you may he sure that the best paint
will peel when the sun gets its work in. If your finish is to be red,
use a good brand of Venetian red and thin with pure raw linseed oil
and a little japan. Make the paint rather thin and brush it, well into
the bricks. If your color is to be buff, mix your priming from two
parts yellow ocher and one part pure white lead, thinning also with
pure raw linseed oil and a little japan, holding the paint also thin, flow-
ing it on freely and rubbing it well into the brick. When the priming
has dried, putty up all holes and joints with putty that is colored to
suit. A good job cannot be made on unpainted brick with less than
three coats. No matter whether you desire gloss or flat finish, thin the
second coat with one-third turpentine and giye it good body. Have
it fairly stout and rub out well and smooth. For a gloss finish have
the last coat all oil, good kettle boiled oil is best if red is used, while for
tinted white lead raw linseed oil and japan is more lasting. For flat
finish, if you do not intend to use the flat black color offered by paint
makers, thin your paste with one-fourth japan and three-fourths tur-
pentine, and should it lack in binding properties, add a trifle of good
outside varnish.

— 635 —

Paint Peeling from Kalsomine — How to Prevent This in Patching Up.

The walls of an old room have been painted over kalsomine, and arc
peeling to the white in spots, especially near the stove. Elsewhere the

26o r39 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED.

paint appears to be hard and firm. The painter, who is called on to
renovate it, desires to avoid the tedious job of scraping clean to the
plaster, which would also be apt to scar the walls more or less, yet
does not wish to run the risk of having his work scale and peel.

In our opinion it depends on the condition of the old paint whether
you can hold it down with elastic varnish. Although you may suppose
that the old paint and kalsomine is firm where it has not peeled, it may
be only a question of time when it would peel in spite of the varnish.
If the paint in those spots has peeled to the white it means, we assume,
that paint and kalsomine have both cleared off clean to the plaster. In.
that case the paint has dried out in those spots more than at other
places, has contracted and pulled the kalsomine with it. It can hardly
be expected that you can fill up the spots and then hold all of the paint
down with varnish, because the latter cannot penetrate through to the
plaster and hold it there. But if you have a means of taking off the old
paint down to the kalsomine, the varnish, if thin enough and the kalso-
mine not too rich in glue, might penetrate the latter and hold it on the
plaster, when your new paint would be safe. There are plenty of in-
stantaneous paint removers on the market ; try one of these, taking the
paint off to the kalsomine, then apply a coat of varnish and over this
your paint.

— 636 —

What Is Venice Turpentine and What Is Oil of Turpentine?

Genuine Venice turpentine is the product of the larch tree, Larix
Europoea, but is now a rare article. It is very pale and aromatic, of
the consistency of thick honey, similar to Canada balsam, which we
believe is generally sold for it. It is a first-class material to mix with
gum damar, in order to make damar varnish work more freely. It
can be added also to shellac varnish for a similar purpose.

Oil of turpentine is the name given in Europe to our spirits of tur-
pentine. It is also called essence of turpentine.

— 637 —

How to Imitate C3rpress by Graining.

The grain of cypress is somewhat like that of yellow pine, but is
broader in the heart and finer grained. The graining in imitation of
cypress is done in oil only. The ground should be a little darker than
that which is used for oak. For graining color raw and burnt sienna,
and burnt umber is mixed in oil with the usual quantity of japan.
When the color is put in the hearts are wiped out in the usual way.
A rubber comb may be used to make portions of the heart, but care
must be taken that the lines made by the comb follow those made by
the hand. The steel combs should not be used over the lines made
by the rubber comb, and a very thin glaze is only needed to finish
cypress graining.

739 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED, 261

— 638 —

What Is Meant by the Term "Drying OU?"

The term drying oil stands simply for such oils as will dry and
harden, or, in other words, form a film or skin on exposure to the air.
The most important among them are linseed oil, poppy-seed oil and
nut oil from walnuts. Sunflower seed and hempseed oil do not cut any
figure in this country.

— 639 —
Sea-Green Stain for Whitewood.

Take chemically pure chrome green, light, ground fine in linseed oil
and enough raw sienna in oil and mix the two in sufficient quantity to
produce proper effect, then thin with one part boiled linseed oil, one
part brown japan and two parts turpentine, making the mixture very
thin ; apply with brush or cloth and when set wipe across the grain.

— 640 —

Paste for and Pasting of Pressed Wall Paper.

The ordinary paper hangers' paste made by stirring rye flour or
wheat flour into cold water until all lumps are beaten out and then
bringing it to a boil under constant agitation will do very well for
pressed papers, but must be heavy, so that it will not make the paper
too moist or limp before it is on the wall, as that would spoil the reliet
figures. Each piece of paper must be hung as soon as pasted for the
same reason. Trim the paper while dry, before pasting, in the usual
way with knife and straight edge, but on pasting take good care not to
run your paste over the edges, nor do not have it too heavy close to the
edge.

— 641 —

A Good Formula for Preparing Kalsomine.

This is used by the foremost firm of painters and decorators of one
of the most thriving cities in the western part of the United States.

One pound of uncolored gelatine glue, as free from grease as possi-
ble, is soaked over night in cold water sufficient to cover the glue.
Thirty pounds of English cliffstone Paris white, bolted or best bolted
gilders' whiting, is also soaked in sufficient water to make a paste over
night, and next morning both are heated with steam or over a moderate
fire in a water bath to the boiling point, and when the glue is fully dis-
solved the two materials are thoroughly mixed. In summer time on
cooling a small portion of carbolic acid, say about one-eighth of an
ounce, diluted with water, is added for each pound of glue used in the
aforesaid formula to keep it from souring, and in this way the kalso-
mine will keep for some weeks. It is said that the workmen rather
like this preparation, because of its good working properties.

— 642 —

Removing Grease Spots from Stone.

Pour strong soda dissolved in water, while boiling hot, on the spot
or spots, mix some fuller's earth in boiling water to a thin paste, put

262 739 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED.

a coat of this over the spots and let it remain over night. If this has
not taken all of the grease out repeat the operation. Sometimes, when
the grease has not penetrated deeply, it may be removed by rubbing
the spot with a hard stone and sand, using very hot water and soap
and soda.

— 643 —

A Good Putty for Large Cracks and Holes.

Chop up paint skins quite fine and mix with botled linseed oil, then
stiffen up with boiled whiting and knead thoroughly to the consistency
of glaziers' putty. The properties of this putty are its great elasticity
and greater drying qualities as compared with ordinary whiting and
linseed-oil putty, because with the paint skins a body is entered which
possesses the drying as well as the elastic properties to a great de-
gree, as well as toughness.

— 644 —

Beating Paint in Dipping Vats by Steam.

The question was asked whether it would be a benefit or injury ta
dipping paint, if beaten up in the vats by steam pipes running through
the apparatus.

Undoubtedly it would be a very decided injury to the paint, because
your steam pipes would require to be perforated, and the steam would
naturally turn to water on striking the paint. Even the blowing of
air through a dipping vat would injure the paint, because dipping
paints usually contain a great deal of volatile thinners, such as tur-
pentine or benzine, mostly the latter, and a continuous stream of air
would tend to rapid evaporation of the same, thickening up and liv-
ering the paint, to say nothing of the loss. Continued stirring of dip-
ping paints is necessary only when heavy materials are employed as
the base, and these paints can be so made that only an occasional stir-
ring is required to hold them in suspension.

— 645 —

Spots on Wall Paper Hung on Damp Walls.

Such spots will appear not only on damp walls, but also when the
paste is not evenly applied or when the Wall is more porous in cer-
tain ])laces than in others. Also when the air in the room is so satu-
rated with moisture that the water in the paste cannot be absorbed
by it. On humid days it is best to close the windows and have only
the doors of the rooms open and have a light fire in the room, so that
the moisture is taken through the chimney flue. In this way the
water spots in wall paper may be prevented. But in damp walls
it is futile to depend on drying out by the means given, and the only
preventive is battening out with canvas or muslin, so as to leave an
air space between the damp wall and the paper.

739 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED. 263

— 646 —

Painting With Oil Paint on Whitewashed Walls.

A shop has been whitewashed, but the lime dusts off. Will lead and
oil paint stick over the whitewash ?

That depends on conditions. You fail to state how often the wall
has been whitewashed and whether the wall was rough or smooth or
smoky. We have seen lead and oil stick very well, but there had been
only two thin coats of whitewash and the wall was built of brick.
If the whitewash, however, is very thick the oil of the lead paint will
be drawn into the lime, and if the wall behind it is a hard one or has
been smoky the whitewash and lead paint are liable to come off to-
gether. If the whitewash is thin you can safely risk it, and to make
doubly sure apply a size of two parts japan, one part raw oil and orte
part turpentine, over which the oil paint will hold securely. If, how-
ever, your object is simply to obtain a surface that will not rub off^
slake your lime with hot water, leave it stout, and when cool thin with
skimmed milk.

— 647 —

Raw Linseed Oil vs. Boiled Oil for Wagon Painting.

We see no objection to using raw linseed oil in place of boiled oil
in wagon work ; on the contrary, we think the wearing quality of the
paint will be increased by the use of pure, well settled raw linseed oil,
when we consider that the boiling of oil with driers changes the me-
dium into a varnish that no longer has the qualities of the crude ar-
ticle, and also in view of the fact that much of the commercial boiled
oil is nothing more than raw oil doctored up with cheap driers, and
has never been near a fire. For wagon- work, we should say that seven
and one-half pints of raw oil and one-half pint of a first-class liquid
(oil) drier would be about the proper proportion for summer and
seven pints raw oil and one pint liquid drier for winter, drying as well
as boiled oil, to which little or no drier is added.

-648-
How Roughstuff May Be Kept in Good Condition.

Mix your roughstuff to a stiff paste, and after taking from it the
quantity immediately needed put the balance into a white lead keg,
level the roughstuff down nicely and cover it with a piece of stout
paraffine or parchment paper, which will exclude the air. Or a little
turpentine may be put on top of the roughstuff and a piece of oilcloth
tied securely over top of keg. By following either of these methods
the filler can be kept for a long time. When mixed thin, ready for
use, and allowed to set around it soon becomes gummy, stringy and
worthless.

— 649 —

Finishing Furniture in Sixteenth Century Style.

The wood is first filled with a paste that is made of bolted whiting,
boiled oil and japan and thinned with turpentine. This filler is ap-
plied to the work ;with an ordinary bristle brush, usually 6-0 size.

264 739 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED,

When coated, and before it has time to set, the surplus filler is removed
with rags or waste, always wiping across the grain, in order to have it
filled properly. When the filler is dry and hard the work is smoothly
sandpapered and dusted and a coat of stain applied, which is made as
follows : Three parts dry Vandyke brown, one part dry burnt sienna
mixed with boiled oil and japan and thinned with turpentine. The
stain must be used sparingly and brushed out well. On large surfaces,
such as table tops, wipe off the stain in the center about one-eighth
of the length and the whole width of the table, then, with a badger-
hair blender, gradually blend the stain toward the ends, blending
crosswise and clear across with each stroke of the blender, which will
give the antiquated appearance. The other parts are wiped out and
blended to correspond, and when dry two coats of hard oil or furni-
ture varnish are given. Work of a better class is given two coats of
rubbing varmsh and rubbed down with pumice and water until all
the gloss is removed, and is then polished with the following prepara-
tion: One pint raw oil, one-half pint alcohol, one-half .pint vinegar
and one-eighth pint ammonia.

— 650 —
To Restore Enameled Bricks to Their Original Color.

A painter was called on to restore the original color of so-called
enameled bricks on a building where evidently the builder had used
two kinds of bricks, as one-half the front is all qght, and the other half
appears as if lamp black had been spilled over it. The color of the
bricks is gray. Muriatic acid, in various degrees of dilution, had been
tried without success.

We are unable to assist you, because you have failed to state one
essential point. Are the bricks glazed like earthenware or are they
of the kind that are merely dipped in paint, or have they been enam-
eled after the front was finished? If the two last named methods have
been followed the remedy is simple enough, and that is to paint them
over with one flat coat, followed by a gloss coat for finish. But if they
are glazed bricks, as we think they are, there is nothing in the shape
of acids or any other material that will restore the original color, be-
cause the trouble is in the flux used in the glaze, which has blackened,
probably from the material used in the bricks, or from some defect in
the glaze itself, most likely the latter. The only remedy that we can
think of would be to repaint the whole front, which, if, as you say that
the bricks are porous, would not be a difficult matter to do, especially
if you give a good priming coat that will adhere well, and on which
your enamel or gloss paint will hold and wear well. But we should
advise you to hold your enamel very elastic, using good boiled oil and
a little first-class outside varnish for the binder, and pure lead, with
not over 15 or 20 per cent, zinc oxide, tinted with lampblack, etc., to
proper shade for the pigment. Unless the bricks are porous your
priming coat must not be very oily. At any rate, you should mix it in
such a manner that it will dry flat, or at least with no more than egg-
shell gloss.

7JP PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED, 265

— 651 —
Finishing Musical Instruments.

The process of polishing violins, guitars, banjos, etc., is of French
origin, and is as follows : First a coat of shellac varnish is given to
the wood. When dry it is carefully glass-papered, then a small quan-
tity of alcohol shellac is poured into one dish and a similar quantity
of clear linseed oil into another dish. Now a small piece of cotton is
rolled tip in a piece of soft chamois skin and tied up in the shape of a
ball ; then apply with a brush the shellac varnish on a small section
of the surface, and before the shellac has a chance to dry dip the cham-
ois skin ball into the oil and rub with a firm, steady motion over the
section just coated, taking care to have the surface moist with oil, until
the polish is obtained. When finishing in sections on the larger in-
struments take care to cause each section to lay close on to the last
one done.

As to piano finishing, that work diflfers entirely from the French
polishing referred to above, and it is much easier to give directions
than to do the work successfully, which requires skill and long ex-
perience. To simply revarnish and repolish a piano it is necessary to
apply two coats of piano rubbing varnish. After the second is ap-
plied it should be stood aside to harden for at least a week, then care-
fully and evenly rubbed with finest flour of pumice and water, and
when, in the judgment of the operator, the rubbing is perfect, the sur-
face is to be rinsed with soft or rain water and dried with softest
chamois skin. Then a soft cloth (woolen) is dipped into sweet oil
and rottenstone and the surface briskly rubbed until gloss is attained,
when it should be wiped with soft rags. Now some finely sifted wheat
flour is sprinkled on and the whole surface firmly and evenly rubbed
with a piece of silk until the highly polished effect is had.

— 652 —

Dissolving Rubber so as to Mix With Oil.

Caoutchouc, or Para rubber, can be dissolved in disulphide of car-
bon, with' coal tar benzol or with spirits of turpentine, and when the
solution is liquid enough it will mix readily with oil. The rubber is
cut into thin strips, put into a suitable tightly closing vessel and the
solvent poured over it, so that the strips are fully covered, allowed to
stand in a warm place and shaken frequently. When the mass is too
much like a thick jelly, more solvent must be added until the desired
fluidity is obtained. This accomplished, the solution can be mixed in
varying proportions with boiled linseed oil, but it should be first
strained to remove the unavoidable sediment, and oil and solution
should be heated on a sand bath to make them amalgamate thor-
oughly. Solutions with coal tar benzol or turpentine are preferable
to those made with disulphide of carbon, because of the fugitive char-
acter of the latter, which, when evaporated, is liable to leave behind
the rubber in the oil in its original form, or at least in the shape of soft
lumps.

266 729 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED.

— 653 —

How to Make a Good Job of China Glossing

Over the primer one coat of white lead in oil, thinned with equal
parts of raw oil and turps. Let this become good and hard, then apply
another coat of lead in oil, thinned with turps, only so as to dry flat.
When dry and hard, smooth sandpaper and dust off. Now apply a
coat of French zinc, ground in linseed oil, thin with turps and add a
tablespoonful of white enamel varnish or damar varnish, so that it
dries nearly flat. The final coat should be composed of French zinc
in damar varnish, broken tip with a little turpentine and thinned with
damar varnish. A trifle of imitation cobalt blue or ultramarine blue
ad!ded to this last coat will take away the slight yellow cast of the
varnish.

For very high-class work four parts of lead should, be given, then
one coat of French zinc, nearly flat, one coat of French zinc in damar,
rubbed with pumice and water, and finished with clear, white damar
varnish, to which a trifle of zinc may be added to give the desired white
effect.

— 654 —
Substitutes for Linseed Oil in Painting.

A barn was primerf with gray ocher as a pigment and an oil that is
manufactured in the South and sold under a fancy name as a boiled
paint oil and claimed to be equal, if not superior, to linseed oil. Three
days after painting a finishing coat of white lead tinted with lamp
black was given, thinned with boiled linseed oil. In three weeks the
job began to crack and finally peeled, the undercoat being soft enough,
to be removed by the finger.

The name of the oil is suflScient to acquaint us with its source of
manufacture, and you are not far astray when you say that it appears
to be composed of rosin oil. It is really a combination of rosin prod-
ucts, mineral oil and enough linseed oil to act on the drier with which
it is boiled. If you had used the material you did in finishing for the
priming and the primer on top, results would have been far diflferent,
though not by any means satisfactory. When you have removed the
objectionable slush and begin anew, allow the bared wood to dry out
some, then commence your work as you should have done in the first
place. Use strictly pure white lead, tinted to suit with lampblack,
thinned with pure raw linseed oil, and just a trifle of liquid drier for
the first or priming coat, and you will have a foundation on which any
fair paint will stand as a finish. If you must economize don't do it
on the priming, which is the foundation of all painting, but rather on
the final coat. And, above all, never use boiled oil for priming a new
surface, because to the use of boiled oil much of the blistering and
peeling of paint is due. If you want a nice, glossy finish, use good, pure
kettle-boiled linseed oil in the last coat, but avoid those nostrums,
the so-called bunghole-boiled oils. Also avoid priming with gray
ocher or inferior yellow or red ocher, as they will invariabh"^ tend to
the peeling or flaking of the outer coats. On soft and spongy wood
a primer made of pure white lead and a finely ground French ocher

7S9 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED. ^267

IS to be preferred to white lead alone, but the proportion of white lead
should be greater than that of the ocher.

— ^55 —

Liquid Brass Cleaner and Polish.

Most polishes are made in paste form, and there are legions of them
in the market ; but if you must have it in liquid form we would recom-
mend the following as most effective : Dissolve one ounce of oxalic
acid in one gill of hot water and stand aside to cool. Mix four ounces
of rottenstone, finely powdered, with one-half ounce of dextrine that
is also powdered very fine, and two ounces of sweet oil or palm oil
to a paste, into which stir the oxalic acid solution. If too thick to form
a liquid, add more water. Apply with a rag or sponge and rub dry
with a piece of flannel or wash leather.

— 656 —

How the Brightness of a Tiled Floor Is Retained.

The addition of a half pint of kerosene oil to an ordinary bucket of
water will give the best results as to bright appearance when the mop-
ping is carefully done ; but the addition of aqua ammonia and spirits
of turpentine, say four tablespoonfuls former and two tablespoonfuls
of the latter to a three-gallon bucket of water, will leave the tiles both
clean and bright, even if the mopping is done carelessly. Under no
condition should soap or strong soda be used, because tending to give
the tiles an unsightly, dull appearance in a short time.

— 657 —

How Mirrors Can Be Made.

A liquid preparation for silvering mirrors may be made as
follows: Take one part, by weight, of lead, one part of tin,
one part bismuth. Melt these together, and before the mass cools or
sets add ten parts mercury. Pour this liquid on the glass so that it
covers all the surface, then let it drain off quickly. When the liquid
has become perfectly dry and hard on the glass it may be coated with
flat black, which will insure opacity and wearing properties.

— 658 —
Finishing Natural Wood.

1. Stain your natural wood first, if necessary, to obtain desired ef-
fect, then fill with paste filler and finish with good furniture varnish
or best inside varnish, giving two coats, mossing the first coat if fine
work is wanted.

2. Stain your mahogany with a thin oil stain, made from a mixture
of burnt and raw sienna, to which a trifle rose pink may be added, fill
with mahogany paste filler, give a good, full coat of rubbing varnish,
rub or moss down and apply two coats of outside finishing varnish.
If the wood is rich enough, staining may be omitted.

-268 729 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED,

— 659 —

Best Way to Make Liquid Wood Filler.

Take, say two pounds of finely pulverized silex or China
-clay, which stir into one pint of good liquid drier, beat into a
fine mass, then strain through an ordinary sieve with the aid of a
brush, so that all the lumps are thoroughly broken up. Then add to
this paste, while stirring continuously, say three quarts or one gallon
-of a good, pale furniture varnish. Let it stand awhile and then strain
through a fine strainer or sieve. See, above all, that the silex or China
clay you use in this mixture is bone dry. We would add, however,
that you may find it cheaper to buy your liquid filled ready made, after
counting up the cost for material and labor.

— 660 —

To Obtain a Gloss in Oil Paint That Will Stand Outside Exposiure.

The questioner wanted something that would give a gloss that will
stand outside exposure, to a lead and oil paint combined with a water
solution, turpentine being used as a dryer. Will benzine act as well as
turpentine as a dryer?

We are hardly initiated enough in the secret arts and mysteries of
paint making to be enabled to answer your questions to your satisfac-
tion, but know just enough to point out to you why a paint, such as
you describe, cannot hold its gloss for any length of time, no matter
what material you may add. In the first place, you have lead and oil
to which you add a water solution to thicken it, so as to save your
pigment as well as oil. It is a well known fact that when a small por-
tion of water is added to white lead and linseed oil paint it will tend
to subdue its gloss and sometimes to flatten it altogether. You fur-
ther state that you use turpentine as drier, which is a fallacy, as tur-
pentine is not a drier, but simply a vehicle that allows paint to dry flat
when used in the right proportion. The same is true of benzine, and
both of these solvents are employed only to liquify basic driers and
not as drying agents. It is therefore self-evident that the smaller the
proportion of either turpentine or benzine introduced in an oil paint,
the more luster or gloss such paint will have and the more durable
such gloss will be on exposure. On drying, the water and turpentine
or benzine will evaporate, leaving the paint porous, and the greater
the porosity in paint, the more rapid will be the disappearance of lus-
ter and gloss. Leave out your turpentine or benzine, add a small por-
tion of zinc to your lead and use good kettle boiled linseed oil and a
little japan and you will have good gloss.

— 661 —
Preparation of a Leather Varnish.

We presume that you have in view a black varnish for leather that
dries quickly and with good body and gloss. If that is the case, we
can give you two formulas, from which you may select, as follows : —

739 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED. 26^

No. I.

4 lbs. Dry D. C. Shellac,

2 lbs. Gum Thus or Crude Turpentine,

5 lbs. Manila Gum. ^

25 lbs. 95 per cent. Alcohol,
J lb. Aniline Black.

No. 2.

4 lbs. Dry D. C. Shellac,
4 lbs. Crude Turpentine,
4 lbs. Rosin,

22 lbs. 95 per cent. Alcohol,
3-8 lb. Aniline Black.

Either of these may be made in the cold way by dissolving gum and'
rosins in the alcohol, and adding the aniline black, after it has been
dissolved in part of the alcohol.

Should you desire to make simply a gloss for leather, something
cheap, we would advise you to employ the following formula : —

Take one pound of good animal glue, soak it over night in cold
water bath and then dissolve one pound of ordinary soap in hot water
and mix it with the Warm solution of glue. To dissolve either of these
use three gallons of water or six gallons for both. To the mixture of
the two solutions add one quart of boiled linseed oil, then one pound
of good wheat starch, which has been well mixed with part of the six
gallons of water mentiotied above and put through a fine strainer to*
prevent lumping. Put this mixture over a moderate fire and boil to a
fairly thick paste. It may be used warm or it may be put in a form
or mold, where it can be evaporated and made into cakes or tablets,
which afterward may be mixed with stale beer or water. To produce
a good gloss on leather apply as thin as possible. It makes leather
durable and gives it a new appearance, though not as high a gloss as
the spirit varnish referred to above.

— 662 —

How to Prepare Venetian Red for Staining Brick Walls.

A painter asks: "Will muriatic acid, Venetian red and water make
a good brick stain ?"

We do not take any stock in your formula for a brick stain. Dilute
muriatic acid is employed to clean brick of efflorescence and fungus
growth, but not as a binder for a stain. You might try the follow-
ing wash, which will make brick look bright and like new: Dissolve
one ounce of glue and two ounces of alum, each separately in hot
water, add the two solutions together and put to these enough hot
water to make one gallon, with which quantity of water mix one pound
of deep Venetian red. When cold strain and apply.

— 663 —

Transparent or Colorless Varnish for Marbleized Work.

It depends very much on the kind of work you are to undertake and'
what you can attord to pay for your varnish. For quick work dis-
solve : —

270 739 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED.

5 pounds refined bleached shellac, and
2 pounds clear Venice turpentine in
i6 pounds 95 per cent, alcohol.

If the work is to be merely ornamental, a varnish made -on the fol-
lowing formula will answer for interior work. It is perfectly trans-
parent and will dry quickly : —

lo pounds Water White Rosin,

a pounds Crude Turpentine,

8 pounds 95 per cent. Alcohol.

Or for slow drying : —

lo pounds Water White Rosin.

2 pounds Crude Turpentine,

2 pounds Spirits of Turpentine,

6 pounds 95 per cent. Alcohol.

— 664 —
Estimating Cost and Labor for Painting Clapboarding With Best

White Lead and Linseed Oil.

In the following, wages are taken at $3.25 per day of eight hours.

In order to give you an idea as to what we consider the proper mate-
rial for three-coat work, we must necessarily go into details, using
prevailing retail prices as basis for cost.

First coat or priming for new work : —
100 lbs. pure white lead @ 6c. per lb $6.00

6 gals, raw linseed oil @ 60c. pei; gal 3.60

\ gal. japan drier @ $1 per gal 25

Total for material 9.85

Cost for labor of mixing by hand 65

This will produce 8f gals, paint for $10.50

Cost for I gallon, $1.20, covering 80 square yards of clapboarding
of average smoothness, costing i^ cents per square yard. A painter
of average ability will cover 80 square yards in a day of 10 hours, and
as he works only 8 hours per day, the cost per square yard may be
put at 5 cents. Total for labor and material, 6J cents per yard. Add
to this amount 50 per cent, lor wear and tear of brushes, ladders, stag-
ing, shop rent and supervision and you will have 9^ cents per yard.

Second coat to be made as follows : —

100 lbs. pure white lead @ 6c. per lb $6.00

4j gals, raw linseed oil @ 60c. per gal 2.70

\ gal. japan drier @ $1 per gal 25

Total for material $8.95

Cost for labor of mixing by hand 65

This will produce 7i gals, paint for $9.60

Cost for I gallon, $1.28, covering 90 square yards of well primed
clapboarding, and the cost for material is closely on to if cents ; the
cost for labor is 4i cents ; total, 6 cents per square yard, to which add

739 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED, 271

50 per cent., as above, giving a total of 9 cents per yard. The average
workman should be able to second coat 90 square yards of surface in
a day of 10 hours, unless difficult of reach.

Third coat paint to be made a trifle more oily, as follows : —

100 lbs. pure white lead @ 6c. per lb $6.00

4f gals, raw linseed oil @ 60c. per gal 2.85

I gal japan drier @ $i per gal 25

Total for material $9.10

Cost for labor of mixing by hand 65

This will produce 7% gals, paint for $9-75

Cost for I gallon, $1.26, covering about 100 square yards one coat
well brushed out, which can be done by one man in a day of 10 hours,
providing he can reach all of the surface without changing staging or
scaffolding. Cost for material per yard, i^ cents; labor, 4 cents; total,
S^cents. Adding the 50 per cent., as above, will make 8J cents.

Therefore estimate should be based on 9J cents for first coat, 9 cents
for second coat and 8J cents for third coat, or for three-coat work 27
cents per square yard.

For very rough surface the cast for material should be doubled, at
least, in estimating, and where a great deal of staging or scaffolding is
required the extra labor for this should be considered. An allowance
of at least 10 per cent, additional should be made — more if necessary —
in measuring clapboarding, as well as for the windowsills, frames, etc.
In order to come out whole on a bid the contracting painter must ex-
ercise his best judgment at all times.

— 665 —

How to Apply Flock Properly to Cut-in Signs.

Proceed in the same manner as you would in smalting a sign ; be
particularly careful that your groundwork is dry and hard and not too
flat, so that the flock will not stick to the letters. The color you cut
in with must be heav'y and slow drying, but not fat or greasy, or it
will spread and produce ragged edges. Bear in mind, however, that
flock should be used for sheltered signs only, and not for those that
are exposed to the weather.

— 666 —

To Close Up Cracks in Brick or Stone Walls to Keep Out Moisture.

You have, no doubt, in your shop some paint skins or the remnants
of linseed oil paint from paint pots. Take the oiliest or softest of this
and run them through a paint mill or strainer. Fine grinding or strain-
ing is not required. If not thin enough for a mixed paint, add the
foots of your oil tank or oil barrel, until you have such consistency.
Now work in enough of dry common whiting to make the mass about
as stiflF as glazing putty and then add to it enough good Portland ce-
ment to enable you to handle it without it sticking to your hands. In
that condition it may be pressed or worked into cracks in stone or

272 739 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED.

brick walls, and when it has become hard it will be adhesive and will
not be penetrated by moisture, and will stand any reasonable degree
of heat as well.

— 667 —
Filling for Brass Signs.

A cement for filling the letters of brass signs may be made by mix-
ing equal parts of asphaltum, shellac and lampblack. Black sealing
wax will also answer the purpose. Apply by heating the brass plate,
melting the cement in, then even up the surface with a warm iron.
Then scrape off the surplus carefully, and once more hold a warm iron
over the letters to glaze them.

Another method is to mix asphaltum varnish, brown japan and lamp-
black to the consistency of putty, press this firmly into the spaces, then
clean the edges with turpentine. When dry and hard, the whole plate
can be polished.

— 668 —

Putty for Raised Work on Picture Frames.

Bolted gilder's whiting and glue and water solution are worked to-
gether into a stiflF piitty, which is pressed .into an oiled mould. To
make it dry slowly, a few drops of gl)''cerine are added to the putty.

— 669 —

The Difference Between Asphaltum and Black Baking Japan.

The letters '*B" and "T" in front of the word asphaltum simply de-
fine the solvent used to make the varnish, B standing for benzine and
T for turpentine. Asphaltum varnish is similar to these, and may
mean either or may be used to designate a black varnish of greater
elasticity, i. e., containing more linseed oil. Black baking japan is
usually made from' a higher and harder grade of asphaltum with lin-
seed oil and driers, and thinned with turpentine or a mixture of linseed
oil and benzine. We annex a few formulas, as requested, but will not
be responsible for satisfactory results, because some practice is re-
quired to bring these about.

"B" Asphaltum.

35 lbs. Trinidad asphaltum.

I gallon heavy boiled linseed oil.

9 gallons 62 degrees benzine.

"T" Asphaltum.

30 lbs. Trinidad asphaltum.

I gallon heavy boiled linseed oil.

7 gallons turpentine.

To cheapen the "B" asphaltum, ordinary rosin may be introduced in
connection with the asphaltum, say equal parts of each. The same
can be done with the "T" asphaltum. The asphaltum or it and the
rosin is melted over a good fire in a suitable kettle and the drying
boiled oil added while stirring. When boiled for about an hour, the
kettle is taken from the fire to a safe distance and then the mass is
thinned under constant agitation with the solvent.

7S9 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED. 275

Elastic Asphaltum Varnish.
30 lbs. Syrian or Egyptian asphaltum.

2 gallons heavy boiled linseed oil.
8 gallons turpentine.

To make, proceed as above.

Black Baking Japan.
40 lbs. Syrian asphaltum or gilsonite.
10 gallons hot linseed oil.
8 lbs. litharge, bone dry and pulverized.
8 lbs. red lead, bone dry and pulverized. .

3 lbs. vitriol of zinc, bone dry and pulverized.
30 gallons turpentine.

To make this japan successfully, it is necessary to have kettles on
wheels, so that they may be removed from the fire quickly. In one of
the kettles heat slowly ten gallons of good, well settled linseed oil, in
another kettle, which must be provided with a cover, melt over a good
fire the forty pounds of asphaltum of gilsonite, and this done, add the
ten gallons of hot oil to the mass and boil for fifteen minutes longer.
Now put the kettle over a slower fire, which must be kept uniform,
then add in small doses, while constantly stirring, the dry powder.
When all the driers are added, the kettle is allowed to remain on the
slow fire for four hours and then removed to cool off. This ends the
first day's operation. Next morning the kettle is put again over the
fire and the mass brought to a boil. Now the mass is tested on glass,
and if it does not become so brittle that it will not stick to the fingers
on cooling, it must be boiled until this stage is attained. At this point
again remove the kettle from the fire, let it stand for an hour or ninety
minutes to cool oflF somewhat, then thin the mass down with turpen-
tine to proper consistency. If too stout, warm it up again some and
add more turpentine. This japan will dry in the air in eight hours,
and bake hard in less than two hours.

— 670 —
Raised Letter Signs of Plaster of Paris.

A Minnesota sign painter made raised letters of plaster of paris,.
varnishing and gilding them. They stood well for two years, when
they began to show signs of cracking. He used dental plaster.

Your method, as you describe it, is quite ingenious for highly raised'
letters, and in order to keep the plaster from cracking in future, we
would advise you to mix it as you did before, but add to every pound
of dry plaster one ounce of powdered marshmallow root, which will
keep the plaster from setting too quick, allowing you to work it for
quite a while. It becomes very tough on drying without being brit-
tle in the least. Instead of filling it with varnish, before gilding, give-
the surface a coat of linseed oil, and do not put on your size for the
leaf until the oil has dried, free of tack. If you wish to use plastico in
place of plaster of paris, dissolve one pound of glue in one gallon of
water, stir in the solution two pounds bolted whiting, two pounds of
plaster of paris and one pound strictly pure white lead in oil. If too
thin for your use, thicken with whiting. This plastico will require
twenty-four hours to dry, but when thoroughly dry and hard, it may
be varnished, painted or gilded.

274 739 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED.

— 671 —

Painting Steampipes and Radiators.

Some sfeam coils were painted light buff, while cold, with a mixture
of white lead, chrome yellow, oil and turpentine. The steam was
turned on immediately after the application of the paint, which peeled
off.

Your treatment of the pipes was not the proper one to follow. In
the first place, your pigments were not of the right selection, because
white lead and chrome yellow will invariably turn brown on heated
steampipes, and in the second place, an oily paint will blister under
these conditions and at the same time darken the color still more. It
requires zinc white as a base for such paint with a coloring matter
that is not easily affected by great heat. For a light buff, we should
use raw Italian sienna for coloring matter, and if this should make too
dark a buff, add some zinc yellow (permanent yellow). The zinc white
should be of best quality, preferably ground in damar varnish, or if
ground in linseed oil, it should be washed with turpentine to extract
the surplus oil. The colors should be ground fine in oil or in japan, it
does not matter which, because it requires but little for a light buff
tint. The white and colors should then be thinned to a creamy con-
sistency and to this mixture a good pale baking varnish added in suf-
ficient quantity to make a glossy paint. If such paint is applied when
the pipes are fairly cool and the steam turned on, when the paint is
about to set, no apprehension need be felt as to the result, because the
paint will bake onto the pipes, neither blistering, peeling, cracking nor
chipping. But even here, the steam should not be turned on in full
force until the paint is dry or hard to the touch. For other tints than
light buff, we would suggest such colors as ultramarine blue, drop
black, burnt sienna, red oxide or Tuscan red, Indian red, yellow
ochre, chrome red, madder lake, as they may come into use, but beware
of chrome yellow, chrome green, Prussian blue, etc.

— 672 —

How to Obtain a Dull Finish on a Hearse.

We assume that you know how to paint a hearse in black or white
from the raw 'wood to the final coat of finishing varnish and, there-
fore, omit going into details. When you have rubbed down your color
and varnish coats and applied the final coat of finishing varnish, allow
it to stand at least one week or ten days, if possible, then rub lightly
with pumice and water and finally with rotten stone and sweet oil,
until you have obtained the dull polish desired. Clean up with soft
woolen cloth.

— 673 —

Aquarium Cement of the Best Quality.

Mix two heaping tablespoonfuls of finest powdered litharge with
one tablespoonf ul of glycerine, which must be as viscid as heavy syrup.
If you cannot obtain it of that consistency, you must evaporate the
less heavy glycerine of commerce on a water bath, until it is viscid.
Use same as any other putty.

739 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED. 275

— 674-

Lightning Driers as a Size' on Whitewashed Walls and as a Drying

Medium for Inside Work.

Lightning drier may be used as a size for whitewashed walls that
are to be painted, but under no condition should it be used where such
walls are to be papered. For this purpose a glue and alum size or a
wash of vinegar is best, for the first named purpose a suction varnish
would be preferable to lightning drier. In either case all the loose
whitewash should be removed with a stiff broom.

White lead in oil, tinted with oil color and thinned with turpentine
and lightning drier will make a good, flat finish for interior walls and
woodwork, and benzine may be substituted for the turpentine, but we
should much prefer the latter as the proper thinner, because of the
odor and better working quality of a paint made with turpentine.

— 675 —

Cleaning and Renovating Oil Paintings.

To clean and restore oil paintings a very good method is to cover
them with wet cloths for three days, changing them twice daily, and'
washing them at each change. When dean and dry, rub the painting
over with a soft cloth, saturated with nut oil.

Another method is to clean the painting thoroughly and then glaze
it over with a good mastic varnish, made as follows: Dissolve 14
ounces gum mastic in three pounds spirits of turpentine in a water
bath, and then add two ounces clekr Venice turpentine or Canada bal-
sam. Put into a flask or jar and add one-half pound powdered glass
or quartz. Shake thoroughly and allow to clear by settling. When
clear, decant and apply with a soft varnish brush.

— 676 —

Difference Between Spirits of Turpentine and Venice Turpentine.

^ Spirits of turpentine and oil of turpentine are one and the same ar-
ticle. In the United States the former term is used, in Europe the lat-
ter. It is the volatile liquid obtained by distillation from the crude
turpentine, a resinous exudation from various species of pine and other
coniferous trees, which, when distilled with steam, are decomposed
into the volatile spirit, known as turps, and a solid residue, known as
rosin or colophony. The crude turpentines, known as Venice turpen-
tine, Strassburg turpentine or Canada balsam, are of a soft, resinous
character, of the consistency of honey, and of an aromatic odor, and
are mostly used for medicinal purposes and classed as balsams. What
little is used of these goods in the paint and varnish line is employed
by artists and by varnish manufacturers to make spirit varnishes flow
more freely. True Venice turpentine or Canada balsam should be
fairly clear, but not quite transparent, of a yellowish or slightly green-
ish color, and have a pleasant aromatic odor. If light brown in color.
It may be set down as a mixture of resin and turps.

276 729 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED.

— 677 —

Best Paint for a Light Canoe Exterior.

That depends very much on the color desired. If it is to be a clear
white or a light tint, we should say give it a coat of white lead; or
white lead with coloring matter to suit, if a tint is wanted. Thin the
lead with two parts raw oil and one part turpentine, with only enough
drier to make this coat dry hard in twenty-four hours. Have your
second coat made of equal parts of pure lead and pure zinc white, cut
with a little drier and turpentine and thinned with good spar varnish.
If chrome green or olive green or similar color is desired, thin your
color for first coat with equal parts of raw linseed oil and turpentine,
adding enough drier to make it set up over night and to be hard
enough to receive the second coat in from thirty-six to forty-eight
hours. Thin the color for second or finishing coat with a good japan
or liquid drier and turpentine, and add enough of good spar varnish to-
produce good gloss. This applies to all solid colors, such as chrome
yellows, Indian reds, Tuscan reds, black, etc. When the job is in a
hurry and quick work paramount to durability, a good, hard drying,,
rubbing varnish may be used in place of spar varnish.

— 678 —
Blistering of Paint Caused by Water.

• A house was painted during November and December with three
coats of pure lead and oil. Where the inside was plastered and al-
lowed to dry, without fire, until February, the paint shows water
blisters.

We believe that in this case the blistering was due to the plastering,,
although it may have been caused by dampness in the foundation.
Still, inasmuch as you say that the paint blistered only on the siding-
which was plastered inside, it is very reasonable to assume that the
water in the plaster soaked into the wood and caused the paint to
blister, because there is enough water present in plaster to dampen
the wood to which it is applied. The lumber may have been green
enough to help matters along. At any rate it will be risky to repaint
unless the paint is removed with a paint burner, which will assist in
removing any dampness that may be still in the wood.

— 679 —

Floor Finish for Soft Wood Floors.

Soft wood floors are naturally much more difficult to prepare and
keep in order than those of hard wood, because the wood itself is so
much more subject to being marred. If paint cannot be used on such
floors we are of the opinion that they should be colored with an oil
stain and puttied up with colored putty that matches the stain. On
top of this two coats of shellac varnish should be applied, and over
this at least one coat of good, hard drying floor varnish. This is
rather expensive, but the best method we know of. Hard wood floors
are generally filled with hard wood filler, then puttied up and waxed

7^ PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED. 277

with wax floor polish, unless expense is not considered, when they are
filled, puttied up and treated with several coats of shellac, rubbed and
finished with high grade varnish and then polished.

— 680 —

Removing Grease Spots from Wall Paper.

Calcined magnesia or carbonate of magnesia is mixed into paste
form with soft water and applied to the spots with a soft brush.
When the mass is dry it is carefully removed with a sharp knife, and
if the spots are not entirely removed, the operation is repeated until the
object is accomplished.

— 681 —

Paint and Varnish Removers and Their Effects.

A sample of paint and varnish remover, in the original package, was
received with a request to have it tested and to have a candid criticism
of it

We had one of our friends — an old veteran in the painting profession
— interested in the matter, and he has given us a full report, which is
as follows : I have tried the paint and varnish remover which you re-
quested me to give a fair and impartial test, but please do not ask me
to do a similar job for you again, for I came very near losing a very
good customer, a man who owns quite a lot of real estate in my town.
I was called to refinish a bathroom in natural wood' for' one of his
tenants and thought there was a good chance to use the remover. I
followed directions closely, applying the material to the surface to be
cleaned off thickly with a brush; and the brush was not injured at all,
as my experience has been with other removers, and in less than one
hour's time I had all the varnish off and apparently part of the paste
filler also. I used turps for washing down the woodwork, getting the
old varnish, etc., well out of the mouldings, too, andjwas proud of the
job.

But during the operation, while the odor was not unpleasant, some-
what like that of carbolic acid, I had inhaled fumes not unlike those of
wood alcohol or something even stronger, that filled up my lungs,
creating a very noxious sensation that I could not get rid of for sev-
eral days after I had the job refinished. I had no idea, however, that
the tenants of that dwelling would make such a howl over the mat-
ter as they did. The head of the family called on my patron, the land-
lord, and threatened to move and sue for damages, as I had poisoned
the whole family, and so forth, and it took the owner quite a while to
pacify the angry tenant. As a matter of course, I came in for a goodly
share of the abuse from all hands concerned, and have made up my
mind that before using any other nostrum of that sort, no matter how
high sounding its name, I shall use the good old standby ammonia
and turpentine or the oxalic acid solution, no matter how much slower
the work may be. This paint and varnish remover may be good
enough for exterior work, but I shall depend on the gasoline burner,
wherever I can, and where a slight raising of the grain of the wood or
a discoloration of hard wood is harmless and the burner cannot be
used, I shall use the concentrated lye remover.

278 739 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED,

There should be a law compelling the manufacturers of this ma-
terial to plainly state on the label that the contents of package are
poisonous, and should be used with the utmost caution. As far as I
could ascertain by examination, the material is composed of a soft
vegetable wax, carbolic acid, wood alcohol and mineral oil. It does
not affect the grain of the wood, nor the bristles of any brush, but the
fumes seem to penetrate every pore of the human system.

— 682 —

Repainting the Body of a Carriage Without Removing the Old Paint.

Scrape off all of the varnish down to the color coats with a car-
penter's scraper, about two inches wide, then cut down with sandpaper
until you have a fairly smooth surface and dust off. Now give a coat
of white lead, tinted with lampblack and thinned with one part japan,
one part oil and two parts turpentine. Allow this to stand forty-eight
hours, and putty up where required ; then give another coat of rough
stuff and putty up again. After this give two more coats of rough
stuff, apply your guide coat and rub, proceeding as you would on new
work. By this method you will fill up whatever cracks there may
have been in the old color coats, and obtain a good wearing job.

— 683 —

Best Paint for the Outside of White Pine Water Tanks.

Trouble was caused by paint peeling from outside of white pine rail-
way water tanks.

We are afraid that no paint, especially linseed oil paint, can be made
that will last for any great length of time under the conditions re-
ferrred to in your question. The tanks being permanently filled with
water, the moisture of course is permanently in the staves, which keeps
the paint on the outside soft in the priming or undercoat, while the sun
and atmosphere make the outer coat brittle and causes the whole to
peel. Should suggest, however, that a priming and first coat of red
lead paint would answer best, with a finishing coat of your regular
yellow paint.

Take for, priming dry red lead, mixing it with three parts raw lin-
seed oil and one part coach japan, and for the first coat, over the prim-
ing, also use a mixture of dry red lead and equal parts raw oil and
coach japan, to which perhaps a trifle of turpentine may be added to
make it spread well. Allow plenty of time for hardening between
coats, and you will have a tough, cement-like surface, which will not
be affected by moisture, like your regular paint, and your yellow paint
will cover well over this groundwork.

While we cannot guarantee absolute durability for this process of
painting, we have found it the best in our experience.

— 684 —

Cleaning Brick Walls That Have Become Spotted with Mortar.

Knock off the lumps of mortar with a scraper, also scrape off the
mortar spots, where they are heavy, and remove balance by sponging
with a mixture of equal parts commercial muriatic acid and soft water.

739 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED. 279

which will soften and remove the mortar. Finally wash down with
clear water. This proceeding will also remove the white efflorescence,
as well as dirt from bricks, making them look like new.

— 685 —

How to Prevent Moistures Striking Through Brick or Plastered Walls.

Whenever a driving rain strikes the outside of a brick wall, the in-
side of which has been plastered directly on the brick, the wall paper
becomes damp and comes off.

After a prolonged dry spell, which has given the wall a good chance
to dry out, put on a good coat of oil paint, which will soak well into
the bricks, then putty up the joints and all the holes that may be in
the bricks with glazier's putty stained the color of your paint. When
this is dry, give a second coat, not quite as oily as the first and finish
off with a coat of flat brick color, or if this is undesirable, with a good
glossy oil paint.

— 686 —

Preparing Whitewashed or Kalsomined Walls for Kalsomining.

Glue and alum size had been successfully used in preparing for kal-
somine some walls and ceilings that had been previously whitewashed
or kalsomined ; while on other walls the size had no effect.

We think that where your glue and alum size failed, the walls or
ceilings were in extraordinarily bad condition, most likely greasy and
smoky, and required washing with soap and water for the kalsomine
and weak vinegar for the whitewash. However, the failure of your
size in some cases may have been due to the quality of your glue.
Good glue must swell in cold water, but not dissolve in it, nor should
it dissolve too readily in hot water, without being first soaked for an
hour or two in cold water. Much of the white glue on the market is
very inferior, being mixed with starch or clay. We should advise you
to try a size made as follows : Dissolve one pound of good glue, one
pound of bar soap and two pounds of pulverized alum, each separately
in one quart of boiling water, first having soaked the glue. Mix the
glue and soap solution thoroughly, then add the alum solution slowly,
stirring continuously. Add enough cold water to make it of the right
consistency. For whitewash it should be made thinner than for kal-
somine, so as to soak in deep enough to hold the whitewash.

— 687 —

To Make Plush Adhere to Metal Permanently.

Plush was to be fastened on the bottom of certain heavy tin boxes to
prevent scratching the tops of tables on which they were placed.

Wash off with ordinary soda water the bottom of the tin boxes,
wiping it dry with cloth. Coat tin with the juice of onion and press
on this space a piece of fairly strong paper, smoothing it out so that
there will be no blisters. When this has dried, the paper will adhere
so that it can be removed only by scraping with a sharp instrument.
Now give a coat of hot glue to the paper and press your plush down
into the glue, and when dry and hard, the plush can be removed only
by placing the tin box in boiling water.

280 739 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED.

— 688 —

Cement for Articles of Celluloid.

To fasten celluloid to wood, tin, etc.

Dissolve two parts by weight of white or orange shellac in four parts
by weight of 95 per. cent, grain alcohol and three parts by weight of
spirits of camphor. This will make a tough binding medium between
the various articles, but the tin must be first washed with soda water
and wiped dry and clean to free it from grease.

— 689 —

Removing Varnish or Floor Paint from Hardwood Floors.

Take caustic soda or concentrated lye and dissolve the same in boil-
ing water, keeping the solution hot while applying it. Have rubber
gloves on your hands while you make or use the solution, and apply it
with a cotton swab, because it would ruin brushes. Oil paints can be
removed in a few minutes and varnish paints or varnishes will yield
in from ten to fifteen minutes. When the wood has been cleaned of
paint or varnish, it must be well washed with clear water, and if the
wood has darkened from the action of the soda or lye solution, and this
be objecttonable, in case the floor is simply revarnished and not
painted, the darkening can be corrected by brushing dilute muriatic
acid over it, and when the wood has resumed its natural color, it should
be thoroughly washed with clear water and finally with weak soda
water to neutralize any traces of acid still remaining. For applying
the acid use bristle brushes that are not bound with iron wire. Mu-
riatic acid should not be used, where iron or steel articles are lying
about, and in using the soda lye, linen or cotton clothes should be
worn, as a single drop of the solution will burn a hole through woolen
goods.

— 690 —

Repainting Bicycles with Air Drying Enamel.

As the cyclists do not give the repairer much time, w« do not think
that air drying enamel will answer, because if made to dry too rapidly
and hard, the paint will chip or scale at the lightest touch, while, on
the other hand, if made to dry slow enough to remain elastic, the paint
will become tacky or at least be too soft to be of good service.
Bicycles, like carriages, often become splashed with mud, which, in
many cases, is allowed to dry hard, and then takes some scrubbing to
remove. This is not good for air drying varnish paint, because road
mud has usually caustic properties, which will destroy paint, unless it
is well baked on the enameled article. Most repair shops, therefore, as
well as the factories, have their bake ovens and bake every coat from
six to eight hours at from 200 to 300 deg. F. At a certain repair shop
known to the writer the work is done as follows : The frame is first
cleaned down by burning oflF the old enamel, then sandpapered smooth
and washed with gasoline, then placed in the oven for six hours to burn
oflF any remaining grease, taken out again and washed with gasoline.
When the first coat of enamel is applied it should be allowed to set,
and then baked for six hours at about 250 deg. F. When cooled, it

7S9 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED. 281.

should be rubbed down with steel wool. The finishing coat should be
baked for eight hours at 200 deg. F., and then rubbed down with a
soft rag, then the varnish applied and baked eight hours at 200 deg; F.
The frame must be allowed to heat and cool gradually, because the
enamel is soft when hot. It is best to apply the enamels with soft
brushes and give 300 deg. F. for black, and 200 deg. F. for colors, while
white should be baked at between 170 and 180 degs. F.

— 691 —

Cheap Paint for Rough Shed.

The following recipe has been published for making a cheap paint
that looks and wears fairly well on rough or weatherbeaten surface :
To a peck of lime, add before slaking three-quarters of strong rock salt
brine and two pounds tallow and color with such dry earth colors as
yellow ochre, raw or burnt sienna, Venetian red or umber. Remem-
ber, however, that the material will dry out three or four shades
lighter. Slake the lime with the required color in, let cool and apply
with whitewash brushes. The tallow will make the wash waterproof
and the salt hardens it.

— 692 —
Ebony Stain for Floors.

Boil one pound of logw^ood in one pint of water until the water is
strongly colored. Give two coats of this decoction to the floor, apply-
ing it evenly and uniformly. This dry, go over it with a solution of
copperas in water. A good black stain will be the result, which, after
sizing, may be varnished, but rubbing it with a polish of beeswax and
turpentine gives a still better eflFect.

— 693 —

Removing White Spots from Bricks and Terra Cotta Trimmings.

From your statement that only one of the two kinds of terra cotta
bricks used in the front show white spots, it is evident that the ef-
florescence is due to mineral salts in the brick and no matter what
neutralising agent you may employ, the spots will appear again and
again, so long as there are soluble mineral salts in the material from
which the brick or terra cotta facing is made. You cai\ remove the
white spots by sponging the surface thoroughly with a mixture of
equal parts of hydrochloric acid and water, and afterward washing
down with clear water, but in nine cases out of ten the spots will re-
appear after a driving storm, because the moisture sets free more of
the salts, which have not been fully neutralized by the dilute acid. The
best preventative, after the front has been sponged with the solution,
washed down with clear water and allowed to dry thoroughly, would
be the application of two or three coats of good oil paint, the finishing
coat of which might be held flat.

282 729 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED.

— 694 —

Filler for Canvas or Muslin Banners.

A filler for canvas or muslin banners was wanted, that should be
more economical than white lead and should stand exposure to the
weather.

You, no doubt, use glue size before you apply your white lead. As
banners must be painted with an elastic paint, we would not advise
you to use any other white material but white lead, nor would we ad-
vise you to use any of the so-called graded leads for this purpose. But
as political banners are not required to hold out much over one cam-
paign, why can you not make a mixture of pure keg lead and fine
bolted whiting in the proportion of 70 to 30?

— 695 —

Durable and Fireproof Shingle Stains.

We cannot give you any formulas for a fireproof shingle stain, and
do not believe that such a material can be made, though fireproofing of
wood under pressure has been accomplished with fairly satisfactory re-
sults. But it is nonsensical to believe that simply dipping shingles
into a stain will make it fire-resisting, as it stands to reason that a stain
to penetrate sufficiently to make it durable must contain the necessary
binder, which, as a matter of course, must not consist of water. As for
making a sea green shingle stain, we would advise use of Prussian blue,
Dutch pink and yellow ochre, all finely ground in linseed oil, thinned
down to a semi-paste with boiled linseed oil and liquid drier and finally
reduced with benzine to proper consistency for dipping. The thinner
the stain, the more will it penetrate into the wood. In place of the
benzine, or, at least, in place of part of the benzine, creosote or coaltar
naphtha may be employed to preserve the wood and prevent fungus
growth. *

— 696 —

Paper Hangers' Paste That Will Keep in Hot Weather.

We do not know of any paper hangers' paste that can be made up
of any cheap substance that will thicken or body up the paste and yet
and keep from souring for several months, nor do we know
allow it to retain its adhesive qualities. The following formula is the
best we know of and will keep for a long time ; how long depends on
the care with which it is made and where stored. If mold forms on top,
it will do no harm : this may be taken off and the remainder used. Sift
four pounds of wheat flour, beat it up in enough cold water until all
lumps disappear, then add enough cold water to make a soft batter;
have two ounces of powdered alum dissolved in hot water and stir this
into the batter. Have a kettle of boiling water ready, take from fire
and pour into the batter, while continually stirring; when the batter
swells and loses the white color of the flour, the paste will be ready.
This paste will suit for all ordinary conditions, but where great adhe-
siveness is required, the cold batter should be "made as above and to
this quantity one-half ounce of powdered rosin and one ounce of pul-
verized sugar of lead be added, the whole placed over a moderate fire

7iP PAINT QUESTIONS. ANSWERED. ' 283

until it begins to boil, when more water is added and the mass con-
stantly stirred until it thickens, when it is set away to cool. This paste
will answer for painted or varnished walls, and before using should
be thinned down with a weak gum arable water.

— 697 —

Filling and Varnishing Oak So That It Will Not Show Pitting.

If your finished surface shows pit marks, the fault is either in your
filler or in the way you use the same. Perhaps you wipe off too soon
or wait too long. When you use prepared paste filler, apply it as per
directions, but always use a good brush. As soon as the filler begins
to set or show flat ,begin to rub it into the grain of the wood with a
pad made of medium soft leather glued on to a block of wood, work-
ing across the grain. The object is to get as much of the filler into the
grain as possible. It is important to wipe oflf the surplus filler before
it becomes too hard. Sometimes two coats of filler are required when
the wood is very open. Give it plenty of time to dry hard, then apply
at least one coat of white shellac and rub down with No. i sandpaper,
after which apply at least two coats of varnish, the first coat to be
rubbed down with curled hair. The shellac may be omitted, but in
that case a coat of quick-drying varnish should be given in its place.
The cost for material per square, for filling and three coats varnish
(one coat shellac or rubbing yarnish and two coats finishing varnish)
we would place at $1.75, while we should say that the minimum of
labor per square will be twelve hours, and for high-class work not less
than twenty hours. But you can determine this for yourself far bet-
ter than we can, because there is a vast difference in the ability of
workmen.

— 698 —

How to Prepare Smaltcd Signs on Wood or Tin.

To smalt a color or gold letter sign on wood or tin, prepare your
ground so that it dries with an eggshell gloss that will not allow the
smalts to stick to it. Cut in around your letters with heavy color of
same shade as your smalts, but do not have it fat or greasy, or it will
spread and make ragged edges. Your color for cutting in must be
slow drying, however, and for black it is best to use lampblack in oil,
to which a little good drier is added. When you have cut in your
sign, lay it on bench with large pieces of paper under it to catch the
surplus smalts, put your smalts in a sieve of proper mesh and sprinkle
until the entire surface is covered, then turn over the sign to remove
the loose smalt and let stand aside to dry. There is no special size
required for smalting a sign, the binder to hold the smalts in place
being the heavy, slow-drying oil color mentioned above.

— egg-
Black Paint for Locomotive Fronts.

All locomotive painters appear to agree that there is no paint made
or will ever be made which will stand any length of time on the over-
heated parts of a locomotive, as, for instance, the firebox, while lamp-
black ground in a good engine finish will stand about the longest.

1284 7S9 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED.

Many have suggested painting these parts with graphite and linseed
oil, others with lampblack and oil, allowing it to burn off and then let-
ting the attendants go over the surface daily with oily waste, thereby
producing a fairly glossy black surface.

— 700 —

Substitutes for Linseed Oil and Their Value.

We are sorry to say that we cannot tell you of a good substitute for
linseed oil, as we should be very glad ourselves to find or know of
something that would actually take the place of that paint medium,
and yet cost us only one-half or one-third as much.

The fact is that the oils that are as good and in some respects bet-
ter than linseed oil cost as much or m,ore than the latter, while some
of the practically non-drying oils that are cheaper at first cost and
might be substituted require more drier, costing as much in the end,
besides being deteriorated still more by the use of so much driers.
By using cheap oil you may be successful in securing contracts for
a time, thereby undermining the existence of your brethren in the
craft, but unless you wish to go out of business at an early date, or
-desire to be looked upon with disdain, you had better think twice be-
fore basing your estimates on the use of rosin oil, petroleum or japan
oils and the like.

We are opposed to the use of all nostrums, and cannot give you any
information on the composition or pass any opinion on the compara-
tive value of the paint oils you name. The very best way for you to
determine their value is to make tests of them in comparison with
pure raw linseed oil, using the same base or paste with all of them,
applying a similar number of coats to raw wood, giving the test boards
a severe exposure. It will not require many months to tell the tale,
and convince you that in order to sustain reputation in business hon-
-esty is the best policy, and honest linseed oil the best paint oil.

— 701 —
Composition of Various Colors and Tints.

Many of the names given are those of the aniline type or coal-tar
colors, but we will do our best to give an idea how they may be com-
pounded from the more or less stable pigments. As pigments vary so
much and diflfer so widely in point of strength we shall not attempt
to name quantity of each required to produce them. However, as
you have not mentioned whether you have water colors or oil colors
in view, we would caution you against the use of white lead in mak-
mg tints for distemper work, while you may take your choice between
white lead and zinc white for making tints in oil, always thinking of
the fact that zinc white will produce the cleanest tones and is not so
apt to darken tints on interior work:

Absinthe Green — Pale French paris green and white.

Auburn — Indian red, drop black and Venetian red.

Azure Blue — In oil, cobalt blue and finest zinc white ; in water,
Bremen blue and little zinc white.

Bay — Burnt umber, Dutch pink and Venetian red.

Beaver — Drop black, not blued, and burnt umber.

739 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED. 285

Cafe au Lait — ^White, burnt umber, med. chro. yellow.

Chestnut — Burnt umber, ivory black, yellow ochre.

Chocolate — White and burnt umber, with trifle yellow.

Damask Red — Rose madder or French carmine and a trifle scarlet
lake or vermilion.

Dove Wing — White, ultramarine blue and drop black, with tinge
of red lake,
touch of bronze red.

Electric Blue — Chinese blue and ultramarine blue mixed and a

Electric Green — Electric blue and. lemon chrome.

Electric Turquoise — White, electric green, and electric blue.

Egyptian Brown — Asphaltum for glazing or for solid work : Ivory
black, not blued, and burnt umber.

Fawn Pink — ^White, drop black or raw umber, vermilion and chrome
yellow.

Gothic Blue — Indigo or Chinese blue free of bronze, white and drop-
black.

Golden Russet Olive — Lemon chrome yellow and light Venetian^
red or burnt sienna.

Heliotrope — Carmine lake and white.

Jonquil — ^White and lemon chrome yellow.

Isabella — Med. chrome yellow, burnt umber, Venetian red.

Mauve — Rose madder, ultramarine blue, white.

Morella — Rose pink, with trifle drop black and white.

Muddy Amber — Burnt sienna, chrome yellow, drop black.

Mulberry Red — Yellow ocher, burnt sienna, white.

Murrey — Dark Venetian red, toned with red lake.

Old Blue — White, Prussian blue and trifle yellow.

Old Ivory — ^White and raw sienna.

Old Pink — White, rose lake and raw amber.

Old Red — Tuscan red and drop black, trifle white.

Old Rose — Rose madder or carmine, white and trifle drop black.

Pearl Drab — White, ultramarine blue, drop black, Venetian red'
and ocher.

Parrot Green — Ultramarine blue, Dutch pink and lemon chrome
yellow.

Pompeiian Red — Dark India red and red lake, or a good deep Tus-
can red.

Puce — Vandyke brown or burnt umber and drop black, with a trifle
chrome yellow or ocher.

Roan — Unblued ivory black and burnt umber.

Russet Yellow — Orange chrome, white and burnt sienna.

Shrimp^White, raw sienna and a trifle vermilion.

Sorrel — Orange chrome, with Venetian red, or vermilion and ocher.

Tan — ^White, burnt umber, yellow ocher and Venetian red.

Tuscan Brown — Tuscan red, yellow and drop black.

Tuscan Drab — Tuscan red, white and drop black.

Vandyke Drab — Vandyke (Cassel) brown, white, ocher and drop-
black.

Vellum — ^This effect can be produced in oil by the use of strongly
boiled linseed oil.

286 729 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED.

Warm Olive — Gold dcher and raw umber, with a trifle drop black.

Warm Olive Green — Medium chrome yellow, raw Turkey umber
and ivory black.

Warm Russet Olive — Orange chrome yellow, burnt sienna and raw
umber.

In the foregoing we have grouped the pigments so that the colors
of which the greatest portion is required always heads the list and
the one of which least is wanted is last named.

— 702 —
How to Secure a Dead Finish on Enamel.

Whether the job is in white or in a tint matters but
little; the treatment is the sam-e, but you can do away
with the necessity of rubbing by having the next to the
last coat fairly glossy and holding your finishing coat flat. Take
French zinc white in poppyseed oil, mix it with turps and allow to
stand, say, over night, and pour off the oil drawn out by the turpen-
tine, then add some good paste drier and thin again with turpentine,
running the result through straining muslin. See that the previous
coat is perfectly free from the dust and specks, and apply the flat fin-
ish quickly and evenly. This will make a perfectly dead flat finish,
and if an ivory tint is wanted, use good raw sienna and a trifle French
yellow lake ground in japan for tinting the zinc white.

Should you want to change old enameled surface to a dead finish,
and such old surface is free from checks and fissures, simply clean
down the surface and moss it with pumice, water and curled hair,
then allow to dry and apply a flat coat as suggested above for new
work.

_ 703 —
Stippling Church Seats That Are Stained and Varnished.

You cannot stipple over a varnished surface, because stippling is
always done with water color. In graining the stipple is always ap-
plied directly on the ground, the dry color being mixed as a rule with
equal parts of water and stale ale or beer, rubbed on with a sponge
in small spaces at a time and pounced or stippled with blender or dry-
brush. When all the surface has been thus stippled and become dry,
it is coated with a mixture of oil, japan and turps in equal parts, and
this dry, the graining color is applied, and when this has been worked
out and dried, the varnish coat finishes the job. In your case the
stipple should be applied after the oil or water stain has been rubbed
out with a cloth to show the grain of the wood and allowed to dry.
Your stipple should be burnt umber mixed with stale ale or beer for
walnut, and burnt sienna mixed in similar manner for cherry, and so
on, applying it with a sponge lightly and pouncing quickly with a
walnut stipple or a colander, and when dry varnish over. It requires
some practice and judgment to do this work neatly.

7iP PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED, 287

— 704 —

How to Prepare Plaster of Paris Ornaments.

If your molds are made of wood or plaster, they should be coated
with shellac varnish first, so as to prevent all suction, but this coat-
ing must be thin and evenly applied, so as not to fill up fine lines in
the model. Next a coat of a mixture of oil and soft soap is given,
which will allow the cast to come out of the mold readily. Plaster
molds that are not to be oiled may be made non-porous with one or
more applications of a strong size of soap. Molds or models of metal
that have a smooth surface require no coating, while models, such
as antique marble ornaments, that must not be oiled in order to pre-
vent spotting, may be covered with very thin tin foil before taking
a cast.

To be successful in making plaster ornaments the following points
must be observed carefully: The mold must be so constructed that
the cast can be removed without breaking any of its fine lines, that
molds of wood or plaster must be shellacked to prevent suction, and
greased with a mixture of non-drying oil and soap, that the plaster
must be carefully selected and its quality ascertained by making a
test in a small way. When mixing the material for a cast, the water
must not be poured on to the plaster, but the plaster must be slowly
stirred into the water until the proper consistency is obtained, which
method prevents lumping. To slow up the hardening of the plaster
cast, a saturated solution of borax is employed in place of clear water.
One part of solution to twenty parts water retards hardening ten min-
utes, one part of solution to ten parts water retards hardening for
forty minutes, while equal parts of solution and water will retard the
hardening for at least eight hours. A saturated solution of borax is
prepared by dissolving borax in boiling water and after allowing the
solution to, cool, pouring off the clear liquid from the crystalline sedi-
ment, this liquid constituting a saturated solution of borax in ordinary
temperature.

Borax retards the rapid hardening of plaster, but the addition of
marshmallow root not only retards quick hardening, but toughens the
mass in a remark^able degree. Two to four per cent, by weight of
finely pulverized marshmallow root added to 96 or 98 per cent, of
plaster of paris and worked into a paste with 40 per cent, water will
not allow the mass to harden for one hour, and make it so tough that
when finally hardened it may be cut, turned, filled or drilled. A larger
percentage of marshmallow root will retard drying and hardening
still more and impart still greater toughness to the mass, so that it
may be rolled into thin sheets on glass plates with an ordinary roll-
ing pin, that will not crack on drying and may be rubbed to a polish.
After c|rying this mass may be colored with water colors, varnished,
rubbed and polished and by such process made water proof.

— 705 —

How to Fasten Celluloid to Other Articles.

Take two parts by weight of bleached or orange shellac, according
to your necessities as to color, three parts by weight of spirits of cam-

288 729 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED

phor and four parts by weight of 95 per cent, grain alcohol, put all in
a well stoppered bottle, shake frequently and when the shellac has
dissolved it is ready for use as a cement to fasten celluloid to wood,
tin, iron or other metal, and also to glass.

— 706 —

To Fasten Cloth to Stone to Adhere Permanently.

There is no composition known to us which would hold cloth on
polished marble or other stone, because the polish would not permit
adhesion. But by taking a coarse file or rasp and going over the pol-
ish to roughen the surface, and then warming the same by placing
hot sand upon it, the job can be accomplished in this manner. Re-
move the sand before it becomes cold, then give the warm surface a
good coat of ordinary joiner's glue and place your cloth down quickly,
pressing down hard and smoothing it out from the center toward the
edges. When the glue is hard, trim the edges.

— 707 —

Economy in Repainting Much Worn Surfaces.

A number of Sadly weather beaten houses that had not been painted
for years were to be repainted. The painter asked if he could make a
good job by using for the first coat glue water and ocher, and then
putting on two coats of lead and linseed oil paint.

We do not approve of ocher alone as a priming for wood, even when
mixed with pure linseed oil, and always advocate the addition of white
lead for the purpose. Glue size, when properly applied, is good enough*
to economize with on interior painting, but will not answer at any
time for exterior work. The two coats of lead and linseed oil paint
applied over a first coat of glue water and ocher would only mean the
waste of a lot of good material and labor, whether it be applied to-
frame or brick work. Your lead and oil paint is not impervious
enough to stop the ingress of moisture and its action on the glue, and
even if it were the moisture in the brick would act on the glue and
throw oflf the surface coats. If you must economize, do not attempt
to »lo it on priming, but rather on succeeding coats, because the first
coat ic to painting what the foundation is to a building. To cheapen
the cost of paint arid yet obtain fairly good results, it has been recom-
m-ended that lead and linseed oil be mixed to proper consistency for
br.ishing in one pot, and a similar quantity of bolted whiting with
water in another pot, and when well mixed the two are to be thrown
tOjE'ether in a larger package and beaten until they are amalgamated,
when the required driers are added and the mass strained. This paint
when applied in temperate weather and given plenty of time to dry
is as good as many of the so-called linseed oil paints on the market^
and you need have no apprehension about its use, as you would neces-
sarily have if employing glue size.

739 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED, 289

— 708 —

Fading of Wall Paper in Light Blue Tint.

In repapering a room where the color of the old paper had stood all
right, the old paper was well soaked and scraped off and the walls and
ceiling sandpapered well, and repapered with a paper at 40 cents per
roll, a light blue tint for ceiling and frieze, and a darker shade of blue
on the wall. The frieze and ceiling paper turned white, except in a
few spots, while the wall color stood all right. In another room where
a yellow tint was used, the paper held its color. The same paste was
used on all the work.

Your query is rather difficult to answer. It does not strike us as
if your paste were at fault, and yet it may be. The blue tinted paper,
at all events, must have been either very sensitive to light or is not
alkali proof. It is just possible that your paste was a trifle caustic,
or that the paper itself had some caustic properties that the color
could not withstand, or, what is most plausible, that the blue used
is not' light proof. Probably you have some small samples of the
paper on hand, or the customer whom you papered the rooms for may
have them. If so, expose part of a piece to the direct sunlight for a
short time, keeping the other part of same piece in a dark place, and
note effect. Also treat a portion of the paper with a weak solution
of ammonia and see what happens.

— yog-
Composition of Steel Color for Painting Machinery.

Steel color paint is a vague term, and the successful formulas are
proprietary. We know of dozens of paints that are sold as steel colors
to manufacturers of machinery, and each one appears to differ some-
what from the other in depth of shade or hue, in point of fineness, in
odor, in time of drying and also in finish. Some are .dead flat when
dry, others have a high gloss, and others again have a sort of egg-shell
finish. Many have the blue-black color of bar steel, others are grayish,,
while many again are of the brown-black cast. To design or make a
paint to imitate the color of steel, it is necessary to first intend for
rough work or for fine finished surface. In some cases, too, three and
even four coats are applied, two different preparations being used for
the various coats, while for ordinary work one or at most two coats
are deemed sufficient.

Rapid drying appears to be one of the essential points demanded or
expected in these paints, eight hours being the limit permitted on fine
work, while four hours for each coat seems to be the time mostly
looked for in the drying of the cheaper grades. These quick-drying
paints cannot carry much oil in their composition, and therefore the
vehicle must be a combination of japan, varnish and turpentine or
benzine of a quality to conform to the selling price. The pigments
also vary to a great extent, lampblack, drop black, graphite, mineral
black, or a mixture of any two of these with a little ultramarine blue
or Prussian blue and white lead or zinc white forming the bases, ac-
cording to the depth of color that may be required.

290 739 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED.

No doubt in the very cheap grades of these steel colors there are
also dilutants in the form of barytes, silex and whiting introduced, es-
pecially in such as are offered in paste form.

But the very best grades that are sold at a fair price in a ready-to-use
form, and dry with a high finish, appear to be composed of good pig-
ments, ground and mixed with the best coach japan and good coach
•varnish and thinned with pure turpentine.

— 710 —

To Attach Pearl to Glass Without Marring the Beauty of the Pearl.

Take a clean pencil brush and a little clear damar varnish and go
over the openings of the letters, two or three at a time, running a little
over on the letter all around. Lay on your pearl carefully, breaking
it into the proper size and fitting it as closely together as possible, until
the opening is covered. When the varnish is dry and hard, the pearl is
firmly attached. Now mix a little silver g^ay or pearl gray and coat
over the pearl, covering all the openings.

— 711 —

Softening Hard Putty to Remove Window Panes Without Breaking.

You can make a batter of caustic soda and soft soap, or take equal
parts of potash and fresh slaked lime, both in powder, mixing these
with water to the consistency of soft soap, and mix this with a like
quantity of soft soap. Apply this with a wooden stick or spatula to
the putty, which will soften it in a short time, so that it can be re-
moved with the putty knife. But be careful to keep the mass off your
hands, as it is very caustic in either case.

— 712 —

Applying Water Colors to the Plain Side of Wall Paper.

This will depend very much on the quality of the paper. We should
say that the paper should be first moistened, then stretched over an
appropriate surface and held tight in some way or another. It will
not do to dampen it too much, as the color is then liable to strike
through from the printed side. At any rate you will require a weak
glue size, and this will serve to moisten the paper with. Do not re-
move the paper until you have applied your water color design and it
has fully dried: then it will not wrinkle.

— 713 —
Finishing Hard Wood Mantels.

The work of finishing hard Wood mantels is similar to that of finish-
ing any hard wood furniture, and depends very much upon the quality
of the goods and their selling price. To go into details, it would be
necessary for us to know the particular kind or the various kinds of
hard wood to be finished, and therefore we can only give an outline of
the ordinary practice. Assuming that the wood is white oak or ma-
hogany, and that the mantel has passed out of the woodworker's hands,
it is thoroughly dusted and given one coat of the proper wood filler,
a paste filler, thinned with turpentine to the consistency of varnish.

739 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED, 291

applied in a full flowing coat, natural color in the case of light oak,
stained with a little raw sienna and raw umber for dark oak and stained
with burnt sienna for mahogany. This coat is allowed to set, say
from fifteen to thirty minutes, according to its drying qualities, when
the surplus filler is removed by rubbing with excelsior or hair across
the grain, so that the grain and pores will remain perfectly filled.
After thirty-six hours the filler should be hard enough to permit of
sandpapering, which should be done with the grain, never in a rotary
motion or across the grain. This done, the work must be again care-
fully dusted and examined to see whether it has been properly filled,
and if not another coat should be given, or at least the defective places
be touched up. Use No. o sandpaper to remove all particles of filler
left oft the surface, and dust again. Filler is required on all open
grained woods, such as oak, mahogany, chestnut, walnut, ash and but-
ternut, while it is not needed for close grained wood. It is essential
to rub the filler well into the wood, and after a good flowing coat has
been applied with a soft bristle brush and before it has time to set, but
begins to show flat, begin rubbing it into the grain with a piece of
leather fastened to a block of wood, while on round work use a long
leather strap to draw back and forth around the surface. When the
work has been filled and sandpapered smooth, apply one coat of
bleached shellac varnish and rub down with No. i sandpaper to a
smooth surface. For high grade work follow this with bleached
shellac varnish, rubbing each coat, when dry, with curled hair and fine
pumice, excepting the last coat, which, in case it is to be in high polish,
rub first with pumice and water, then with rotten stone and water,
and polish with rotten stone and oil. If high gloss is desired, flow on
a coat of cabinet varnish and omit rubbing. If eggshell gloss is wanted,
rub the last coat with pulverized pumice and raw linseed oil or crude
petroleum.

The number of coats of shellac varnish or high grade rubbing var-
nish, which may be used in place of the shellac after the first coat and
with the exception of the finishing coat, is determined by the grade of
work desired. .

For ordinary mantel work in hard wood, the shellac varnish can be
dispensed with and two or more coats of hard oil finish or furniture
varnish used instead, but each coat, with the exception of the last,
should be haired or mossed, and the last coat treated as above.

— 714 —
Paint for Blackboards Which Cannot Be Marred or Scratched by

Chalk.

The best blackboard paint is made by moistening four ounces dry
lampblack with alcohol, rubbing it out with a spatula, gradually add-
ing one quart of shellac varnish and stirring into this three ounces
flour of pumice and three ounces finely pulverized rotten stone ; then
straining through a fine sieve or strainer to break up any lumps that
may have formed. This is applied quickly to the bare wood, so that
no laps are formed, and in one hour's time a second* coat may be ap-
plied, which, after a day or so, may be haired or mossed. The quan-
tity mentioned should cover five boards four feet square two coats. A

292 7S9 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED,

cheaper method is to mix four parts, by weight, of lampblack in japan
with one part, by weight, of 'ultramarine blue, also ground in japan,,
and one part by weight of washed flour of emery. Add to this one-
half part by weight of quick-rubbing varnish as a binder, and thin
with turpentine sufficiently to flow on and not show brush marks.
Three coats of this should be given, and when dry and hard the finish-
ing coat haired down. A green paint for blackboards has lately come
into vogue, and it is claimed that this is more soothing to the eyes than
the gray tone given to lampblack. A formula for such paint has been
communicated to the Scientific American by Mr. G. H. Bergmann^
principal of a school at Charleston, S. C, who claims perfection for it.
It is as follows: Equal parts of Prussian blue and chrome green in
fine powder, are mixed with gilders' sizing and alcohol, equal parts,,
sufficient to produce a paint of creamy consistency. Apply with a
large, stiff brush quickly and give a second coat after an hour or two.
After twenty-four or forty-eight hours it may be smoothed with hair
cloth and fine pumice.

— 715 —
Cement for Filling in Brass Signs.

The best filling-in material is made by intimately mixing four
ounces genuine asphaltum, four ounces brown shellac and four ounces
dry lampblack. The asphaltum and shellac must be powdered, and
the mixture is applied by heating the brass plate and melting in the
cement. When the letters are filled, the cement is smoothed off with a
fairly warm sad iron. When cooled off, scrape off the surplus care-
fully and hold a warm sad iron over the letters to glaze their surface.
Black sealing wax will also answer this purpose, under similar treat-
ment. If the plates cannot be heated, make an unshrinkable black
putty by mixing equal parts by measure of genuine asphaltum, var-
nish and first-class coach japan and working into this enough dry
calcined lampblack to make it very stiff. With this fill the spaces,,
pressing the putty well in with the putty knife, then clean the edges
with turpentine. When the filling has become thoroughly hardened,
polish the whole plate. The same method will answer for signs of
zinc or copper.

— 716 —
Refinishing Oak Doors That Are Badly Weather Stained.

If possible, take the doors off the hinges and lay them down flat on
some trusses or old boxes, and remove the old varnish with ammonia
or a mixture of two parts strong ammonia and one part of turpentine
and benzine, using a stubby brush to get into the cutwork and about
mouldings. When all the old varnish has been removed, dope over the
stained portions with a strong oxalic acid solution, and see whether
you cannot bleach the wood by that operation. If this will not work,
you have to resort to staining. Use raw sienna for light effect, and
after staining use paste wood filler, colored to match the stain. Then
proceed as you would on new work. If the light stain does not hide
the weather stains, you will be obliged to use a darker stain and
darker filler.

739 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED, 293

— 717 —
To Keep Back the Water Stain in Kalsomine or Fresco Work.

Water stains are very difficult to overcome, because they are often
only shown after the first Coat of kalsomine or water color has been
applied. If water stains are noted on ceilings, and there is a suspicion
that there may be more of them, go over the ceiling first with a thin
wash made of whiting and clear water, which, on drying, will show all
hidden stains.

If the sjain is a bad one, give a coat of a mixture made of equal parts
boiled oil, japan and turpentine ; when this is dry, give a coat of shellac
varnish of good body, then give the spots a coat of white lead in tur-
pentine to dry flat, because kalsomine or water color is liable to scale
if put over shellac directly. If the stains are light, one coat of shellac
will stop them, but the flat white lead should not be omitted. For
cheap work, a wall varnish will serve the same purpose as the shellac,
but it is always a safer plan to put a coat of flat white lead over it.
When the stain is old and dry and not too dark, and the cause of the
stain removed, a piece of white paper carefully pasted over will hide
the stain, but, of course, this should be resorted to only in the case of
very cheap work.

—718—

Imitating Quartered Oak.

It should always be borne in mind that in imitating quartered oak,
or any other wood, that it is the natural we wish to imitate and not
some one's idea of what it should be. Therefore, it is necessary to
first study the various changes of grain and have the general character
of the grains of the particular wood impressed on the mind before be-
ginning to work.

In graining to imitate quartered oak, wipe out the champs or veins
with the rag, and soften the combed portions between the champs by
drawing a rag folded three or four times toward the edges of the work
previously wiped out with the rag. The edges of the champs may first
be sharpened up by drawing the second joint of the forefinger against
them. A fine comb is then lightly waved over the space of open work
and the whole panel or mantel blended lightly crosswise with the flat
l>rush. Or the work may be combed as described and permitted to
dry before taking out the champs. In that case, when the work is dry,
mix a weak solution of sal soda and add to it some dry umber, to show
where you touch the work; put the solution on the champs with a
fitch tool, let it stand a few minutes to soften the color, and wipe it oflF
with a soft rag. It will be found that the graining color is taken oflF
to the groundwork, giving the same eflFect as if it had been wiped out
while the color was wet, but the work looks cleaner. When done in
this way, the work should be overgrained. The champs may also be
put on in dark colors over the combed work and left so, as some veins
of oak appear dark in certain lights. These dark veins may be imi-
tated by combing the work the same as if one was going to use the rag
to wipe out. Do not blend, but put in the veins with a small fitch tool
or frescjo liner dipped into some color from the bottom of your pot, not

294 729 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED.

too dark, and immediately blend one way, lifting the edge of the color.
After some practice it will be found that a very good imitation of dark
champs or veins is the result. •

— 719 —
Waterproof Cement.

The following will stand heat and water:

1. Take freshly calcined oyster shell lime, sift it well and grind fine.
Make into a paste with white of egg. Apply to the fractures and press^
broken pieces firmly together.

2. Also boil four parts, by weight, of gum shellac and one part, by
weight, of borax in water until shellac is dissolved. Keep on boiling
until mixture is of paste-like consistency. When required, heat and
apply to fractures with a clean brush.

3. Mix hydraulic lime and water glass.

(Nos. 2 and 3 will not stand heat, but will stand water.)

— 720 —

Imitation of Quartered Oak by the Use of Straight Grained White or

Southern Red Oak.

The owner of a new house wanted the painter to finish the oak trim
to match some twentieth century oak mantels, antique with elaborate
quarter marks, part of which^were said by the man who sold the man-
tels to be artificial, but it is difficult even for an experienced person to^
detect whether they are natural or not. He asked for the method em-
ployed by the finishers in the furniture factories when they take a piece
of straigjfit grained oak and make it appear as though it were quartered.

Straight grained oak is cleaned up and dusted, after sandpapering,
and the flakes are penciled in with white shellac varnish, then the
whole piece of work is stained with a stain made of equal parts of tur-
pentine, asphaltum and coach japan, thinned with turps. When set up
the stain is wiped and permitted to dry hard, then the surface is filled
with a dark paste filler that is colored with burnt umber and drop black
to suit. When the filler is haired oflF the flakes or high lights are
wiped out clean and good and will come up white. When the filler
has become good and hard, give the usual coats of shellac and rubbing
varnish, and rub with pumice and water or pumice and oil, and then
polish in the usual manner. There is no acid used at all in these imita-
tions.

Golden oak finished veneering, often thought to be artificial veneer,
IS not an imitation, but the natural run of quartered oak and most
beautifully marked. It is simply stained with asphaltum, thinned'
with turpentine, then filled with golden oak paste filler and the flakes
are cleaned out by hand before shellacking, which is all the secret at-
tached to the work.

The number of coats of shellac and the number of coats of rubbing
and finishing varnish and the labor expended on rubbing and polishing*
depend entirely on the price obtained for such work.

That a painter or grainer cannot compete on large contracts with a
furniture or mantel factory is self-evident, the latter making a profit
on the lumber as well as on the other material and labor.

739 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED, 295

— 721 —
Wax Finish for Interior Work.

If the work is hard wood, use paste filler and shellac varnish to ob-
tain a surface. If soft wood, stain first and use liquid filler or shellac,
according to the job. For polishing wax, melt two parts, by weight, of
yellow beeswax (pure country quality), and use one part, by weight,
of spirits of turpentine to thin the same.

This is for finishing natural wood, after it has been filled and var-
nished. For simply cleaning up and renewing polished furniture, one
part beeswa^t and three to four parts turpentine make the best liquid.
The wax and turpentine furnish the filling medium, and elbow grease
does the rest.

— 722 —

To Finish Hard Open Grain Wood in the Highest Grade of Polished

Finish.

If the work is rough in places, sponge with clear, cold water ; when
dry, sandpaper thoroughly.

Fill with a good paste filler well rubbed in with tow and pad, and
clean off with excelsior and cheesecloth.

Sandpaper with No. o sandpaper, give two. coats of grain alcohol
shellac, sandpaper well between coats, and then give one coat of cabi-
net polishing varnish, rub down well with curled hair to a perfectly
smooth surface and then flow on a coat of polishing varnish, full body.

This finish should stand at least six days to harden, then rub to a
dull, even surface with pumice stone and water. If a polish is desired,
follow rubbing with pumice with rotten stone and water, after which
give "hand polish."

Graining.

First coat with orange shellac, and after a thorough sandpapering,
give two coats of ground, the last coat to be flat, then grain, and after
three days varnish with a good quality elastic varnish.

The use of oil in the ground coats or a hard drying, brittle varnish,
is the cause of grained work cracking; the graining should stand at
least three days before varnishing.

If the woodwork is of select white pine or poplar and a first-class
job is desired, prepare with two coats of good varnish for ground, in-
stead of paint, and after a thorough sandpapering, stipple in distemper
colors before graining; after graining, finish with one coat of good
quality varnish.

Floors — Varnish Finish.

Give one coat of white shellac (if open grained wood specify first a
coat of paste filler), then two coats of floor varnish (one pint of tur-
pentine to the gallon), and rub to a dull, even finish with pumice stone
and oil.

Wax Finish. .

Give one coat of white shellac (or paste filler if open grain wood),
then wax to a smooth, even surface with a weighted brush.

Floors can be finished cheaper by substituting liquid filler for shellac,
but shellac makes by far the better job.

296 739 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED.

— 733 —

Formula for Water Proof Cement for China.

Make a paste composed of hydraulic lime and silicate of soda (solu-
ble glass). Make it just before use, as it will harden rapidly.

— 724 —

Probable Cause for the Failure of Pamt to Stand in the Repainting of

a House.

The questioner had painted a house with a standard brand of white
lead and linseed oil made by a well known crusher. In June, ten years
later, he started to repaint, using the same brand of white lead, also
the colors and oil made by this firm, taking four days to apply the first
coat and allowing two weeks before the second, or finishing coat was
begun, requiring eleven days to complete the job. The body of the
work was French gray, the trim light stone, and the blinds dark green.
Inside of three weeks the green paint on the blinds began to look
dead and very much faded, the body in less than four months began to
fade and appear dead in spots, which showed up lighter than the rest
of the surface, while the trim cracked in some places. The material
has the best reputation, the house was \p. fair condition, and the painter
had seventeen years' experience.

The brands of material you mention are known to be pure and of
established quality, and while the best may sometimes fail, there is,
apparently, only one explanation. Unless the painter who mixed the
paint, doped the material with some cheap nostrums, it may be taken
for granted that the condition of the surface was not in as good a state
as you were led to believe, and that you did not have sufficient linseed
oil in your first coat to satisfy the dryness or absorption of the sur-
face. If you had given the surfacfe, before applying the first coat of
paint, a thin lead and oil wash, we think you would have had better
success. It stands to reason that timber, which has not been painted
for ten years, is extremely dry and the lead paint, if still there, is in a
dried-out, powdery condition, and will absorb the oil from the first coat
of paint applied over it. This coat being robbed of some of its oil, in
turn robs the finishing coat, and this taking place to a greater extent
in some spots than in others, explains the spotted condition of the
body color.

That the trimming shows cracks in some places is most likely due to
its having been applied on top of the body color, before the latter was
thoroughly dry. As to the blinds going in dead in less than three*
weeks, we judge that to be due to the absence of sufficient oil to hold
out the gloss. Commercial chrome greens are not good oil absorbers
at any rate, and hence very apt to look dry and faded in a very short
space of time. To remedy the trouble and satisfy the owner by the
most economical method, we would suggest that you give the blinds a
coat of good outside varnish or at least a coat of boiled linseed oil, and
that you take boiled linseed oil and go over a small space of the body
of the house with a coat of that in order to see whether you cannot
restore the original color and make the dry and faded-looking spots
disappear by this plan. If this does not succeed, your only remedy
will be to give the premises a third coat of paint with a sufficiency of
linseed oil of good body all over.

739 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED, 297

— 725 —

Dressing or Polish for Linoleum Floor Cloth.

One pound yellow beeswax dissolved in one gallon turpentine makes
a polish for linoleum cloth. It is applied with a soft rag.

Another good dressing is made by melting five pounds paraffine wax
with one pound palm oil. When melted, take from fire and add one
pound kerosene oil. Apply with a rag.

— 726 —

An Effective Remover of Paint and Varnish from Floors.

Make a hot solution of caustic potash and apply while hot with swab
made of cotton waste. The hardest kind of paint will yield to this in
a few minutes, and varnish will not resist much longer. If possible,
wear India rubber gloves while working with this lye ; at least, be very
careful to keep it from touching your skin. As soon as the paint or
varnish has been removed, clean up and wash the floor well with clear
water and allow to dry before repainting or revarnishing. Should the
wood darken as in the case of oak floors, and this be objectionable, go
over the floor with dilute muriatic acid; but as soon as the wood is
bleached enough, rinse with clear water and then follow with a weak
solution of washing soda to neutralize all traces of acid. To apply the
dilute acid, use bristle brushes, which are unaffected, unless bound
with iron. Cotton, swabs or rags will not answer, because the acid
will destroy them quickly. While using the caustic soda solution do
riot wear woolen clothes, unless you have overalls over them, as a
drop of the lye, falling on woolen goods, will immediately make a hole.

— 727 —

One Result of Painting with Oil Claimed to Be Better Than Linseed

Oil.

A Massachusetts painter was induced to buy some oil that was
claimed to be better than linseed oil. Early in the spring he used two
gallons of it in paint that was put on the clapboard part of a house.
Immediately after application the paint became darker, and it seemed
as if all the oil had come to the surface. In two months all the paint
could be taken off with a stiff brush, leaving the surface very greasy.
This oil, or grease, was removed with benzine, and the surface was re-
painted with paint containing pure linseed oil and drier only. This
appeared in excellent condition until a heavy rain in the middle of De-
cember. Where the rain beat against the paint, it looked as though
all the color had disappeared, although the paint was still hard as it
was where the rain had not touched it and where the color was still in-
tact. Oil applied does not seem to bring back the color.

Although we have not yet received a final report on your sample of
oil, we can advise you that it is a nearly pure mineral oil, flavored with
a product of the pine or fir tree to disguise the petroleum odor. The
iridescence or bloom alone will disclose its origin, although it appears
as if some attempt at de-blooming has been made with poor success.
Your experience is only another instance of the fallacy of the belief
that gold dollars may sometimes be bought for 75 cents or even less.

298 739 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED.

Of course, when linseed oil is as high price as it has been during the
current year, there is a great temptation to find a cheaper substitute,
but it should always be borne in mind that every new article should be
tested on a small scale before using it on large or even small jobs,
where in case of a failure, it means not only loss of money, but also of
reputation. As to the remedy, you did the best there was to be done
by taking off the never-drying, greasy paint and washing the bare sur-
face with benzine, and we hardly believe that there was enough min-
eral oil left remaining in the wood when you repainted to do any dam-
age ; nor do we think that the bleaching out of your new paint by that
rainstorm was caused by the wood having been still impregnated with
mineral oil. You omitted stating which sides of the house were most
attacked by the driving rain, or we might have drawn our conclusions
more intelligently. Try again a mixture of three-fourths boiled lin-
seed oil and one-quarter turps, applying same with a rag liberally on
some of the faded portion of the paint, rubbing it same as in polishing
furniture, and if the color does not return and the paint is still hard,
then the trouble is due to your coloring matter, and you will be obliged
to give at least one new coating; probably a skim coat will do it.
Should you find, however, that the paint is chalky, very soft or loose,
then you may have to remove it to the bare wood.

— 728 —
Cheap Sizes for Walls to Be Kalsomined or Painted.

It is always best to first go over whitewashed walls with strong
vinegar and then give one or preferably two coats of the following
size : Soak one pound of good white glue over night in soft' water,
pour off the cold water and dissolve the glue in hot water in the usual
way. Slice one pound rosin soap fine and dissolve in water by heat.
Dissolve two pounds alum in hot water. Then stir the dissolved glue
and soap together, and when well mixed, put in the alum solution.
Now thin the mixture with warm water, until it is of proper con-
sistency .for the brush. This size works well over old whitewash or
over old kalsomine, and if two coats are applied will keep water stains
from showing.

The size, however, should be applied as warm as possible, and if
possible, the room should be fairly warm also. A cheap size for new
walls to be painted is made as follows : Take five ounces of sal soda,
one ounce powdered borax and twenty ounces powdered rosin; stir
these into one and one-quarter gallons of boiling water and keep stir-
ring until dissolved. In another vessel have five ounces good white
glue dissolved in one gallon of water, to which add one gill (one-quar-
ter pint) of the first solution, and boil both solutions separately for
about ten minutes; then mix the two, strain, and the size is ready for
use. It is best to apply this warm, and still better if applied over a
priming coat of white lead, instead of applying it to the plaster direct,
but may be used either way.

739 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED. 299

— 729 —
Painting Galvanized Iron Cornices and Spouts.

An Illinois painter gives the following as his method for painting
galvanized iron and tin on the side (not the roof) of a building :

The galvanized iron is allowed to stand three months exposed to the
weather before painting.

For first coat, .Venetian red, ipixed with raw linseed oil, driers and
enough turps to have it dry with dull gloss.

Second coat : White lead, colors to suit, raw linseecl oil, dryers and
enough turps to also dry with dull gloss.

Third coat: White lead, colors to suit, raw linseed oil and driers,
but no turps. This is mixed stout and allowed to stand for five days
before using. Giving three coats as described makes the job hold for
seven or eight years. In repainting he treats such jobs as he would
old woodwork, giving two coats of lead paint.

Your method is, without any doubt, an excellent one, and cannot be
criticised, unless on the point of expediency. The success of your
method does not have its origin altogether in the materials you em-
ploy or in the way you mix and apply them, but is to be looked for
chiefly in the fact that you do not touch the metal before it has been
exposed for three months to the weather. This exposure produces a
gray film of oxidized zinc on the surface, upon which your first coat
obtains a good hold. In addition to this, your first coat is thinned, so
as to dry with an eggshell gloss. If you gave an all oil paint it would
not hold on so well in spite of the gray film of oxidation. The succeed-
ing coats or their composition cut no figure in the adhesion, but only
give so much more stability and durability to the work. Now while
we commend your methods to our readers, whenever they can follow it
to the letter, we must also point out to you where they would be
obliged to employ other methods. A job of painting new galvanized
iron cannot always be permitted to stand for three months, but very
often it is required that it be painted as soon as it is put up, as is the
case in the building operations of large cities or in localities where
gases abound that would destroy the metal before it had been put up a
few months. For such cases we know of a wash that will artificially
produce the film in a few hours, for the production of which nature re-
quires months. This wash consists of a solution of one ounce each of
chloride of copper, nitrate of copper and sal ammoniac in one-half
gallon of water, made in a glass or earthen vessel, and to which, when
perfect, one ounce of crude or commercial hyrdochloric acid is added.
This is applied with a wide, flat brush, and in a few hours the metal
turns black, similar to graphite, and on drying becomes a light gray.
After twelve hours the non-adhesive salt is removed with a dry brush.

A first coat made of red lead or a mixture of red lead and red oxide
or Venetian red, thinned with raw oil, driers and turpentine to dry
with eggshell gloss, will hold for years and may be finished with one or
two coats of any desired color or oil paint. We prefer a heavy paint in
point of specific gravity for this first coat as against those of great
bulk and light weight.

A foreign exchange recommends that metallic gray zinc (not zinc
oxide), so-called gris, be employed as the pigment for such a priming
coat, and linseed oil and driers for the vehicle.

300 739 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED,

—no—

Proper Way to Mix White Lead and Zinc for Exterior House

Painting,

We would suggest that 75 per cent, of pure white lead
and 25 per cent, zinc white make the best finish in exterior house
painting, because the zinc white will not permit the paint to chalk and
the white lead will not permit flaking or cracking. The above propor-
tions are intended to mean dry lead and zinc white, hence a mixture of
say 73 pounds of pure white lead in oil and 27 pounds of zinc white in
•oil would answer the purpose.

It is best to break each of these up separately, thin to proper con-
sistency for spreading with raw oil and the necessary drier, mix and
run through a paint strainer. If both lead and zinc are of good
quality, the quantities mentioned should take up at least six gallons
of thinner and cover well. But we do not recommend this combina-
tion for priming raw wood. Some writers have recommended equal
parts of lead and zinc, others two-thirds lead and one-third zinc, but
we think the above the safer proportions.

r39 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED. yoi

TESTING PAINT.MATERIALS.

—731—
White Lead.

It will be conceded by every member of the craft that to be success-
ful in business depends to a great extent upon a thorough knowl-
edge of the material employed, as well as on the ability to purchase
the same ; that is, to receive value for value. It is, therefore, necessary
for the painter, as well as any other business man, to make frequent
tests and comparisons of materials purchased, in order to ascertain
where, in these days of sharp competition^ he will procure not only
the best, but the most economical goods for his particular purposes.

Some brands of material may appear, at first sight, to be cheap, but
on close scrutiny or calculation, after practical use, be found very
dear in the long run. Not only that, but the use of inferior material
may lose the painter the patronage of good customers and ruin a
heretofore good reputation.

Recognizing the necessities of some instructions for the younger
members of the craft, we propose to point out, in the following pages,
a few simple, but practical methods which may be successfully applied
in testing and comparing the materials employed by the practical
painter, such as white lead, colors, linseed oil, turpentine, etc.

White lead, being the foremost of painters' materials, will receive
our attention first. We shall not waste time with a rehearsal of its
chemical composition, its origin or the various processes of its manu-
facture, because that subject has been so thoroughly ventilated in
painters' conventions and in the trade publications that it is Almost
common property. As to the purity of a brand, the name of a repu-
table corroder on the package is usually sufficient guarantee. If, how-
ever, any suspicions arise, a sin^ple test, which any painter after a short
practice can make satisfactorily, consists of the following :

For dry white lead, take a medicinal test tube, thoroughly dry and
clean, and place therein about one scruple (20 troy grains) of the sus-
pected article and then fill the tube half full with dilute nitric acid,
which can be procured at any drug store. Pure white lead will show
effervescence and dissolve completely in a short time, while barytes
will remain as an insoluble precipitate in the bottom of the tube.
Adulterants of a lighter specific gravity require a chemical knowledge
for detection, but are scarcely ever found in dry white lead, because
of their greater bulkiness.

For white lead in oil the blowpipe test is recommended as most sim-
ple. A gas flame or spirit lamp, a blowpipe and a piece of close-
gramed charcoal is all that is required. A small cavity dug into the

302 739 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED. '

charcoal, a portion of the lead as large as the head of a very small pea
placed into the cavity and the point of the blowpipe directed upon the
lead with a steady blast, will readily reduce pure white lead in oil to a
button of metallic lead, leaving the charcoal without a trace of any
other substance. If any zinc, barytes, whiting, clay or silica be pres-
ent, even if only to the extent of from five to ten per cent., there will
be no formation of the metallic button, but the substance will have
the appearance of a whitish, yellow or gray, cinder-like mass. Sul-
phate of lead can be reduced only with difficulty, after long-continued
blast or with the addition of powdered borax as a fusing material.

White lead in oil should be of fair stiffness, not too oily, when taken
from the package, especially when wanted for interior work, but have
a polished appearance and should not be rough or granular in appear-
ance, though in very cold weather this is not an uncommon occur-
rence, which will do no real harm, if the grainy character is due to
transformation or storing in extremely cold localities, because a few
days in a warm place and a little paddling will bring it back to its nor-
mal condition. In such cases the granular character of white lead is
due to the chilling or solidifying of the linseed oil, in which it is
ground. White lead, when thinned with spirits of turpentine only and
spread upoh a piece of glass, should be a neutral white, showing neither
a yellow nor a gray or pinkish cast. Nor should it have the glaring
whiteness of zinc white, the nearest approach being that of a clean
lime whitewash, not blued. The best comparative test for whites is to
spread those to be compared side by side upon a piece of glass or other
surface that has previously been coated with a clear, glossy white and
allowed to become thoroughly hard, passing judgment only after the
whites to be compared have become dry in a dust-free place. The
fineness of white lead may be determined by spreading the paste lead
upon a piece of smooth glass with a steel spatula that has true, smooth
edges. Though the lead may appear rough in this test, no grit must
be felt on spreading it. A more accurate test is made by breaking up,
say four ounces of the lead wtih one ounce of turpentine, spreading this
mixture on a clean, smooth piece of glass and allowing it to dry, when
it must show no sanded appearance, but be perfectly smooth in order
to be of required fineness. Good white lead must take up a certain
percentage of thinners, so that it will not run or sag, as is the case
when it will not absorb a sufficient quantity or will not lay to the sur-
face closely. If too much thinner is required, on the other hand, it is
apt to show poor covering properties. Five gallons of raw linseed oil
of good body to the lOO pounds white lead in oil is a good, fair stand-
ard for finishing coats on exterior housework, though sometimes it
may be necessary to have the paint stouter and omit some of the oil in
order to save in the number of coats.

The covering, or as ordinarily termed, the body of white lead is best
determined by thinning a portion thereof to the proper consistency for
application, noting the amounts of lead and thinners used and applying
the paint in one, two and three coats over. pieces of japanned tin or
boards, previously coated with a dead black. White lead of good ,
body, thinned as above stated, will on third coat cover up so well that
the black ground is fully obliterated.

T39 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED. 303

•

To determine the covering properties and value to the consumer of
competitive brands of white lead we should proceed as follows : If the
test can be made on a small scale only, take as many pieces of black tin
as there are brands to be tested, all the pieces to be of similar size and
condition, weighing the same and noting weight on the under side of
the tin. Now a certain portion of each brand of lead is weighed off,
say one pound, and each one thinned with, say six ounces of raw lin-
seed oil, and the lead so thinned spread on evenly and uniformly to the
surface of the tin, marked with the name or number of the brand, tak-
ing care, however, to keep paint off from the edges. Immediately
after applying each coat, the tin should again be weighed to determine
amount of paint used, and this should be taken into consideration when
the degree of covering of each brand is determined.

If the test can be made on a sufficiently large surface, a certain por-
tion of the lead from each brand should be thinned to the proper con-
sistency for application without regard to the quantity of thinners re-
quired, but the amount noted for calculation. Using a different brush
for each pot of paint, a similar sized area of surface should be coated
with each paint, pot, paint and brush to be weighed before starting and
after coating the required space. By following either method the cov-
ering properties as well as comparative values of each brand can be
readily determined.

When, however, there is no large area of surface at hand and the
painter desires to test the working properties of white lead, let him se-
lect boards that are finished like the sides of a frame dwelling, say
about five or six feet long, and ten or twelve inches wide, and paint a
broad black stripe about the middle ; then treat the board as he would
a building, applying first a priming coat, and follow with second and
third coats, making notes of the amounts used as well as the working
of each lead under the brush, whether the lead is long or short, whether
it fills well on priming and how well each brand has covered on the
finishing coat. Whenever such tests can be made they are more con-
clusive; the test on japanned tin is suggested only for comparing small
samples.

—73'
Oil Colors.

In testing oil colors for their intrinsic value the practical man will
consider tinting strength or staining power and fineness of grinding
above everything, and then the brightness, richness or brilliancy of
tone, and lastly the opacity, or body of the solid colors and the trans-
lucency of the transparent or glazing colors. In the following we
shall exclude the consideration of the high-priced artist's colors and
deal only with those that are indispensable to the house painter, the
decorator and the signwriter.

To test competitive brands of oil colors for their comparative value
we would give the following as a guide : Upon opening the respective
packages remove the skin, if such has formed on the color, and then
with a small paddle or stick beat the contents of package to uniform
consistency. Next place a small portion of the color from each pack-
age on a piece of clean, smooth glass and work the color backward and

304 739 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED.

forward with a steel spatula that has true edges, and grit or coarseness
will be apparent by scratches on the glass. This test requires some
practice and judgment, because the more oily the color the finer it will
appear. A more accurate test for fineness is made by thinning certain
portions of the competitive brands to equal consistency, applying the
material with brushes of same size and character on a smooth surface^
and allow it to set up or dry before passing judgment. To determine
tinting strength or staining power a certain portion of white lead in oil
is weighed off, or as many such portions as there are brands of oil color
to be compared, and a much smaller portion of each of the colors are
also weighed and with the aid of a steel spatula intimately mixed, with-
out, however, grinding the material. Such tests may be made on a
very small scale, or when the painter has use for the material in the
near future, it is best to weigh out loo ounces of white lead and one
ounce of color of the strong groups and double or treble that quantity
of the weaker stainers. Thinning the various mixings with the neces-
sary oil and driers to proper consistency, they may be applied side by
side and allowed to dry hard, when the tinting strength of each may be
gauged by the depth of tint produced : and this, if the work has been
handled neatly and with clean tools, will also determine purity of tone
in each color.

In times of leisure or enforced idleness, however, it will benefit the
younger members of the craft to test the samples offered by competi-
tive paint houses or their representatives in tubes, and here the testing
must needs be done on a small scale. A large piece of plate .glass or a
marble slab placed on a bench or table, a small prescription scale, an
oil can or oil dropper, and two steel spatulas and a few pieces of glass
are all that is required as outfit. Pieces of oiled or glazed paper of
equal size and weight may be used to weigh the lead in oil, and the oil
colors on and for every brand of color to be tested loo grains of white
lead are weighed out, and then one, two or five grains of each of the
colors, according to the supposed tinting power of the color under test.
No allowance should be made for softer or stiffer consistency, because
it is value that is to be determined, not of the color as a pigment, but
as a color in oil. A certain number of drops of oil should be added, an
equal number to each of the mixings, and the white lead and color be
thoroughly mixed on the slab with a steel spatula without grinding
and then placed on clear glass in a sufficiently thick film to cover until
all the competitive brands are exposed to view side by side. If the
exact value of a color is to be determined, add to the strongest as much
white lead as is necessary to reduce it to the same depth of tint as that
made by the weakest color. For instance, if one grain of lamp black in
oil and lOO grains white lead in oil produce a tint apaprently twice as
deep as another brand of lampblack, also one grain of black to lOO
grains of white lead, then weigh out 250 grains white lead and one
grain of the stronger black and keep on adding from the 250 grains of
white to the black until a tint similar to the weaker one is obtained ;
then weigh the remainder of the 250 grains of white, and if 60 grains
remain the strong black has a value of 90 per cent, greater as a tinting
or staining black.

This rule relates to all oil colors so far as their value for tinting is
considered. It may be in place to caution novices to be very careful

739 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED. 305

to have their slabs, glass and spatulas scrupulously clean before each
mixing, in order to give a fair trial to each brand. Wiping cloth, some
benzine and pumice stone are indispensable necessities in this connec-
tion. To test colors in oil for depth and richness of tone, as well as
for shade, it is self-evident that the various brands should each be
thinned to a like consistency and applied over the same kind of sur-
face, best over old painted work, and allowed to dry, when an impartial
judgment may be had.

As to the determination of the opacity or covering power of the
solid colors, each of the competing brands of similar name should be
thinned in exactly the same proportion and applied as thinly as pos-
sible over a strong contrasting ground and the films allowed to dry,
when even the novice will be enabled to note existing differences in
covering.

Transparent colors are best thinned and applied in a like' manner to
clear glass with soft brushes, and their value determined by the trans-
lucency of the gla?e. Durability and permanency of colors can be
satisfactorily determined only by painting the various brands on
proper groundwork on panels, exposing to strong light and the ele-
ments side by side. An unobstructed southern exposure will give the
most rapid results, and as long as the same thinners have been em-
ployed the groundwork and surface having been precisely similar, such
results should be accepted as conclusive. If the shades of brands of
colors of similar nature differ it is best to keep part of the panels inside,
away from strong light, in order to facilitate comparison of the ex-
posed samples.

Now, before we proceed to go over the list of colors in detail, it
might be well to state that we do not propose to burden this article*
with a series of chemical tests for which the painter is not equipped^
nor for which he has time to spare.

He wants value for value, and by following the foregoing sugges-
tions he can determine readily to his own satisfaction whether or not
he obtains the same in his purchases. What he requires is an oil color
of buttery consistency, not too oily, not too stiff; a paste that is not in-
clined to liver or ropiness, that will mix well with any vehicle when
properly treated in the thinning process. Nor does he care to have a
lot of worthless sediment in his pDt after mixing and using part of the
color, and, therefore, he should shun goods that are not of good fine-
ness and strength, because adulterated oil colors and great strength or
staining power do not go together, because loading colors with cheap-
bases will just take away from the inherent strength of a pigment to
the amount of percentage of dilution or adulteration (extenders of
color or paints, as they have been termed by some writers). We. shall
now proceed to point out certain characteristics of oil colors in detail,
beginning with the blacks.

—733—
Blacks.

Of the blacks lampblack is of most interest to the house painten
True, lampblack is of great density of color, great bulkiness, and pro-
duces a bluish gray tint with white lead. Gas carbon black in oil is

3o6 7JP PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED.

often sold as lampblack, but has a rather brown tone and produces a
brownish-gray tint. Lampblack is usually adulterated with barytes or
whiting, sometimes with both. In such cases it is far less bulky than
the pure article, and lacks in strength. Drop black is, as a rule, of the
grayish black type, not as dense as lampblack by long odds, and does
not absorb, pound for pound, one-half the amount of thinner, nor has it
much more than one-sixth of the tinting strength of lampblack. Its
tint with white is also of the brownish-gray order, unless blued, but it
produces a far cleaner tint than gas carbon black. Sign writers' black
is usually lampblack ground with driers, sometimes drop black and
carbon black in combination.

—734—
Blues.

Next to the blacks, in alphabetical order, we have the blue colors.
Those of interest to the house painter and signwriter comprise cobalt
and ultramarine, Chinese and Prussian blue, as oil colors only. The
cobalt and ultramarine blues of commerce are artificial products, but
are very staple pigments. Imitation of cobalt blue produces a more
opaque effect than the artificial ultramarines, and may be recognized
by its more greenish undertone in comparison with the usually violet
tone of most of the ultramarine blues. When used with white the tint
of imitation of cobalt is not as glaring as that which is produced by the
majority of ultramarines. Ultramarine blue can be found in various
tones from greenish to distinct violet. The former are usually much
stronger, the latter decidedly weaker. Those with a violet tone, how-
ever, are best adapted where it is intended to apply varnish, because
they are not so apt to show a greenish effect as the other. Adultera-
tion in these blues is rarely met with, and the painter can select his
purchases by testing for richness of tone and tinting strength.

Chinese and Prussian blues are of nearly similar composition; the
best selections are usually sold as Chinese blue.' Those brands that
show a pronounced bronze cast are usually strongest, and produce the
cleanest tints. The test for strength with white lead will give the best
idea as to their real value, and will also give a fairly accurate idea as to
clearness of tone. In testing these blues the maximum white and the
minimum blue should be employed,"because pure Chinese or Prussian
blue is one of the very strongest tinting colors at the command of the
painter, and the test liable to mislead when the tint is made too strong.

—735—
Browns.

In browns we have umbers, sienna. Van Dyke brown and mineral
brown, and these only are of interest to the house painter. Mineral
brown, or metallic brown, as it is more familiarly known, is to a great
extent used in the painting of roofs and for freight cars and similar
work where decorative effects are not required.

Suffice it to say that metallic brown in oil should be of good fineness,
of good body and be ground in pure linseed oil to insure durability. A
practical comparative test will be the best guide here. Burnt sienna
IS usually selected by its rich tone as a glaze and superior tinting

7S9 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED, 307

strength. When sienna shows up with a fiery transparency it gener-
ally gives a clean tint with white, though not necessarily showing great
strength. Raw sienna, though sometimes of a decidedly yellow color,
may also be dealt with in this group. Like the burnt article, it should
show good transparency and greater strength than the best ochre.
Fineness of grinding is a requisite for siennas, because it brings out
the transparent character of the material.

Raw umber is best when of the olive tone, and in the absence of a
reddish or distinctly yellow cast. Burnt umber should be a warm
brown, and a slight reddish cast is preferable to a dull, blackish ap-
pearance of the ^olid color. Umbers should be ground very fine and
have considerable strength, as they, like sienna, are very useful for
staining purposes, and tints made with them are very permanent.

Vandyke brown is more useful in staining and graining than for
tinting, where it is not as durable as the umbers or siennas. Fineness
of grinding and staining power are important, as is also a good, rich
tone.

—736—
Greens.

Greens are next in order, and next to the reds there is quite a selec-
tion, of which chrome greens are most notable. There are blue-toned
chrome greens and yellow-toned chrome green, chemically pure
chrome greens, and many are sold under fancy or proprietory brands or
names. When they are chemically pure it is usually so stated on the
label, but the commercial brands contain anywhere from 10 to 35 per
cent, coloring matter, the balance being a mineral base of some kind,
generally barytes. The generally adopted rule, however, appears to be
to make them with from 25 to 30 per cent, coloring matter. As to se-
lection of the proper tone, the judgment of the painter must decide
whether the blueish or yellowish tone is best suited. Fineness of
grinding, brightness of color and working properties should be con-
sidwed, but as for value a test for tinting strength should determine ;
however, comparisons should be made only between exactly similar
shades and tones of chrome green, as it would be unfair to compare a
light with a dark shade or a yellow-toned green with a bluish green.
Emerald green, or as it is more familiarly known, Paris green, is very
little used nowadays, excepting for ornamenting or for decorations in
places where gaslight has a yellowing effect on chrome green. Its
purity is best tested by extracting or removing the oil from the pig-
ment with gasoline, and treating the pigment with aqua ammonia in
a test tube, which will give a blue solution without any precipitate if
the green is pure.

Verona green or terra verte is not generally in use, and no simple
test can be given.

For verdigris the remarks apply that were made in reference to em-
erald green.

Bronze green, Quaker green and bottle green are combinations of
blacky yellow and blue and no simple tests can be specified.

3o8 7J9 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED,

—737—
Reds.

The group of reds represents quite a variety of types. American
vermilion is a chrome red, and though the least brilliant, it is, outside
of a few products that have been developed only recently, the most
durable of the vermilion group. When pure, it consists of lead chro-
mate and white lead intimately combined, and a test of purity should
be left to chemical science ; the painter may ascertain its value by com-
paring the various brands for richness of tone and covering properties.

Carmine and its substitutes should be tested for their value as glaz-"
ing colors, for their brilliancy, clear transparency and their tinting
strength. To ascertain purity of tint it is best to substitute French
zinc white that has not been blued in place of white lead, and make
the proportions not over 50 parts zinc white to one part of these reds.
The substitutes offered for carmine are often as durable as the high-
priced article itself, and sometimes more permanent.

English or quicksilver vermilion is the red sulphide of mercury, and
under certain conditions it will sooner or later turn into black sulphide
of mercury.

The pale shade is very unstaple, and when exposedto strong light it
will, even when protected by varnish, turn brown in a few months,
while the deep shade becomes very dark inside of six months, and
often turns blackish inside of a year or so. To test for purity, heat a
small portion over a gas jet or lamp in a porcelain dish in contact with
air, and if pure there will be only a trac^ of ash left ; when adulterated
with red lead, barytes, etc., these will be left behind. Indian red is
usually to be had in two shades, light and dark, and the material is
mostly imported from abroad. It is most too solid and strong a color
when pure to be of use in the pure state for trim^ning, etc., and does
not look well for that purpose, unless somewhat diluted with a mineral
base, but makes an excellent covering material for ground work and
has very strong staining properties, making strong pink effects with
white. Should be tested for rich tone, fineness of grinding and tincto-
rial strength. Red lakes are numerous, but the best of them are those
derived from the madder root or its principal coloring matter, alizarine,
which is now derived from coal tar, and has been proven to be even
more staple in point of permanency than the coloring matter extracted
from the madder plant, which is fast becoming obsolete. These lakes
are usually branded with such prefixes as madder, permanent, durable,
etc., and when well made do not belie their fancy title, because they
are lime, alkali and light proof and can stand a great amount of heat
up to 300 degs. F. without being visibly affected, and the test can be
made on that plan, because aniline colors are unable to stand it. Rose
lakes are usually made with aniline dyes on a mineral base, such as
blanc fixe and alumina, and as a rule are rather fugitive, especially
those that are most brilliant in color. Taste and judgment must guide
the painter in their selection.

Rose pink is a much needed oil color in the paint shop, and the
painter will select the strongest tinter, as it is used for the preparation
of stains, for graining and for making tints mostly. Red lead is best
bought dry, unless the painter is in close proximity to the base of sup-

729 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED. 309

ply, and can have it ground to order, because of its drying action on
linseed oil and consequent rapid saponification. To test for purity,
place a little in a test tube, and boil with diluted nitric acid until de-
composed ; if there be no insoluble precipiate the jtA lead is pure. As
to its value, test in comparison with other brands for fineness and body,
applying it after thinning to proper consistency on smooth, non-absorb-
ent vertical surface, when it must not run or sag. Tuscan red is usually
Indian red, brightened with rose pink or red lake. The cheaper grades
are simply mixed and ground dry, while the better grades are made by
the colormaker in a special process or by special methods. The latter
are, therefore, more uniform and more staple, as all possible injurious
matters are removed by washing. These better grades of Tuscan reds
are not only richer, but are very permanent also, and will stand a very
high degree of heat, as well as contact with alkalies and caustics.

Tuscan reds should be tested for richness of tone, for tint and body,
and should be compared as to the degrees of heat they are able to with-
stand without perceptible change, which will give an idea as to their
permanency on exposure to strong light.

Venetian reds are either native reds or diluted oxide of iron, and
there is no established standard for this material. Burnt ochres are
also ground up ahd sold as Venetian red. English Venetian reds are
still in favor, though the bulk of this material is now prepared in the
United States and Canada.

The color sold as Venetian red in oil contains anywhere from 15 to
45 per cent, oxide of iron, the remainder consisting of silica, clay, terra
alba or carbonate of lime, and some may have all of these combined,
either as natural gangue or as a cheapening dilutant. Where Venetian
red is to resist the action of sulphur gases it is best to select one that
does not contain carbonate of lime (whiting, marble dust, etc.), and
whether the red does contain such can be readily determined without
extracting the oil. A little of the red is spread upon a dry slab of
glass and a few drops of sulphuric acid diluted with a little water
poured upon the color. When carbonate of lime is present in any form
there will be effervescence in a few minutes, otherwise the material
will show but little agitation and remain practically inert.

The value of Venetian red is determined by its brightness, tone, fine-
ness of grinding and comparative absorption of thinners.

Vermilionettes or aniline vermilions are composed of red lead, or
orange mineral enriched with the coal tar color known as eosine, and
thousands of tons are used annually. The best of these are fleeting,
turning to pink or white on long exposure to strong light.

There are a few recent products on the market which bid fair to out-
last aniline vermilion as well as quicksilver vermilions three to one,
but they are not as rosy as the former, and not as opaque as the latter,
thoughof greater spreading power. Practical tests and tests for per-
manency only can determine the value of these materials, as tinting
strength does not count here. This concludes the red group.

Yellows.

We now turn to the yellows, which will complete the list. Here we
have first the chromes, which may be had in five or six shades, as

3IO 739 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED.

canary, lemon, medium, orange, deep orange and even extra dark or-
ange. They are so well known that it is sufficient to say that their
value to the painter lies in their purity of tone and tinting strength.

Permanent or perfect yellow is chromate of zinc, and much more
permanent to strong light and gases than chrome yellow, but less
opaque. It is too poor in body and too high priced for general use,
and more adapted to the purpose of the decorator and signwriter.

Ochres are a very interesting material for house painters, and there
is a very large variety to select from. They run from palest French or
yellow ochre to the deepest English Oxford and the most olive Ameri-
can ochre. They are tested for fineness of grinding, opacity and tint-
ing power. Golden ochres in oil are usually mixtures of yellow ochres
of French origin and medium or orange chrome yellow, but are very
often adulterated with cheap mineral bases ; therefore their value is de-
termined by tests for brilliancy, fineness of grinding and tinting power.
Our next chapter will deal with oils, driers and turpentine, etc.

Thinners.

One of the most important subjects to the painter is the testing of
linseed oil, because, so far as we know, all arguments to the contrary
notwithstanding, it is the life of all oil paints. When the oil in a paint
has perished, it is only a question of a very short time for the pigment
to crumble to pieces. Therefore, so long as we have nothing to take
its place, we must look toward obtaining the best and purest linseed oil
it is possible to purchase. A painter cannot always buy direct from
reputable crushers for various reasons, and he should, therefore, post
himself on simple tests. All that he requires is a few medicinal test
tubes or four-ounce long, round bottles, a small bottle of nitric acid of
140 specific gravity, which may be procured from any druggist. When
a new lot of oil is received, it should be allowed to rest undisturbed for
twenty-four hours in a warm place and then a sample drawn.

This may be tested for color by placing it in the test tube or clear
white glass bottle, holding same to the light. Good raw oil should be
of a light yellow color; when very greenish the oil is usually made
from unripe seed, and not a good article to use in first-class paint.
Next, the oil may be tested by the taste, and if adulterated with mineral
or rosin oil, the resinous or mineral admixture will make itself unmis-
takably apparent, while, when the oil is pure linseed, the sensation on
the tongue is bland at first, and afterward slightly bitter and rasping,
but not offensive and nauseating, as in the presence of mineral and
rosin oils. A few drops of raw linseed oil rubbed briskly between the
palms of the hands should emit a pleasant linseed oil odor, but not a
faint odor even of rosin or an odor resembling machine oil.

Thie nitric acid test is made by placing equal parts of oil and nitric
acid into the test tube and shaking oil and acid thoroughly for a few
minutes, allowing tube to set undisturbed for about twenty or thirty
minutes, when there will be two stratas or layers noticed, the oil on
top, the acid in bottom of tube. When pure, the oil stratum is first a
clear greenish yellow, turning to cloudy yellow color, the lower or acid
stratum nearly colorless, or at least not more than very pale yellowish.

739 PATNT QUESTIONS ANSWERED. 311

If fish oil be present, the upper stratum will be a very dark brown,
clogged mass, the lower stratum dark orange color. In the case of
rosin oil admixture the upper stratum will be from brown to brownish
black, according to quantity of rosin oil present and \he lower stratum
straw color to orange. For the detection of mineral oil the test by
rubbing the oil between the hands is almost conclusive, and, further,
this admixture shows an iridescence or bloom, which reveals the pres-
ence of mineral oil. If a piece of glass is coated with lampblack, a few
drops of the suspected oil placed thereon and exposed to strong light,
the bloom or iridescence referred to will be strongly apparent. Adul-
teration with fish oil can also be readily detected by heating the oil,
as the nauseating odor cannot be removed by chemical process, though
this has been claimed. If the painter can afford it, he should provide
himself with a Beaume hydrometer for testing the gravity of linseed
oil.

To do this properly a hydrometer jar or other tall vessel is used, the
oil placed therein and either warmed or cooled, as the case may be, to
a temperature of 59 deg. F., the hydrometer inserted, when it should
register neither below 0.930 nor above 0.936, the normal specific gravity
of pure raw linseed oil being 0.932, and the weight per United States
standard gallon at that temperature — y% pounds.

Raw oil that shows a lower specific gravity than 0.928, is likely to be
adulterated with corn oil or mineral oil, and. when it is over 0.938,
with rosin or fish oil.

Pure raw linseed oil that is applied to a piece of clean, dry glass,
which is placed in vertical position and kept in a temperature of 70
deg. F., should produce a thin film, which dries hard and free of tack
inside of seven days. Neither should raw linseed oil contain over two
per cent, of foots and moisture. As to boiled linseed oil, the tests re-
ferred to are not applicable, as the; nature of the oil has undergone a
change during the boiling process. Oxygen has been introduced in the
form of lead salts or'manganese salts in order to secure more rapid dry-
ing properties. Therefore, boiled oils are heavier bodied than raw oils,
and of higher specific gravity, while the color has become considerably
darker. If the painter cannot boil the oil himself, he should avoid
purchasing "bunghole'* boiled oil and insist on getting pure kettle
boiled linseed oil. It has been, and is still, a common practice for deal-
ers to take five gallons of raw oil from a fifty-gallon barrel, and replac-
ing it with five gallons of an inferior liquid drier, selling the mixture
at an advance of a few cents per gallon over the price of raw oil as pure
kettle boiled linseed oil.

Pure boiled linseed oil should range in specific gravity from 0.936 to
0.946, with an average of 0.942, or closely to 7 lbs. 13J oz. per United
States standard gallon of 231 cubic inches, at a temperature of 60 deg.
F. It should have an odor more penetrating than that of raw oil, but
be devoid of a burnt characteristic and not smell of benzine, rosin or
mineral oil. When standing about for a while, oils boiled with litharge
or other lead salts, partake of a rather acid odor, while manganese
boiled oils become somewhat fishy. When a thin film of pure boiled
oil is placed on glass as noted above in the case of raw oil, it should
dry hard and free of tack in thirty-six to forty-eight hours, unless it is
a pale boiled oil, but even this must dry within sixty hours.

312 729 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED.

The painter of to-day need not expect to be able to buy any of the
olden time cold pressed oil, but he can, by familiarizing himself with
the characteristics of linseed oil, buy the very best of hydraulic pressed
oil, which, when made from good, ripe seed, is "O. K." for all practical
purposes. The oil made by the extracting process (or naphtha pro-
cess, as it is often called), is not quite so heavy in body as the hydrau-
lic (or hot) pressed ; is darker in color and when heated, does not give
off as mealy an odor as the latter. In other words, the odor is more
pungent and many are opposed to the use of the oil, though it is pure
linseed oil with all albuminous matter removed. Bleached or refined
linseed oil is very seldom called for by painters, and yet it would be a
boon to them, where they are called upon to do interipr work in white
or in delicate tints. It is scarcely necessary to dwell upon this ma-
terial, and we would only say that inferior grades of linseed oil cannot
be bleached or refined with success, so that when ordered from a repu-
table manufacturer, the painter is assured of getting what he asks for.

Poppyseed oil is the only drying oil which remains to be considered,
and this also is now very seldom employed in house painting, except-
ing for extra fine white interior work. It is a very pale oil, that on ex-
posure to strong light rapidly bleaches out water white, but is very
apt, like olive oil, to become rancid. Its odor is not unlike that of pure
olive oil, but somewhat more pungent, and its drying qualities are
close to those of raw linseed oil. But there is no other drying oil which
allows whites to remain as clear as poppyseed oil that has been
bleached by age and light. It is a great favorite with artists and
French painters generally, and our supply is imported from France.

Cottonseed oil (non-drying), which was used largely over a decade
ago with linseed oil, as a cheapener, is not now a factor with paint
men, it having found other markets in the culinary and other arts.
Corp oil is a product of recent years, obtained as a by-product in glu-
cose and starch manufacture. It is a nondrying or, at least, very
slow drying oil (of less body than linseed oil, with a very sweet, mealy
odor), that does not appear to have made much headway as a paint oil.
Its presence with linseed oil is readily detected by the heating and dry-
ing test.

Turpentine is also a very important factor in the line of thinners, and
an article that is subject to adulteration, when prices range high, as
they do now and again. Some ten years ago it was a common occur-
rence to find it adulterated with from 20 to 50 per cent, of waterwhite
kerosene oil, and the adulterant was pretty well disguised. The action
taken by the Oil, Paint and Varnish Association curbed the practice to
a great extent, but it is still carried on in a minor degree, as the suit of
a varnish firm in a Philadelphia court of justice two years ago demon-
strated, when it was decided that as the largest portion of the material
was turpentine, the seller did not misrepresent the goods. That the
adulteration was discovered only after much of the goods had been
used and spoiled a lot of varnish is beyond comprehension.

Testing spirits of turpentine is very simple. The article should have
a sweet odor, characteristic of the pine tree aroma, not too pungent
or sour, nor should it smell of petroleum, not even faintly. When
drawn from a faucet or spigot it should not foam to any extent, or at
least the foam should disappear quickly and not froth, as in coal oil.

729 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED. 313

A drop of turpentine placed on a piece of white paper should evaporate
without leaving a visible mark in five minutes; if not evaporated in
€ight minutes, it may be put down as fatty, and if a greasy stain re-
mains after fifteen minutes, adulteration with kerosene oil must be
looked for. At any rate, the article is unfit for use as spirits of turpen-
tine.

The specific gravity test with the Beaume hydrometer is a pretty
safe guard, when coal oil or benzine is used as an adulterant, the proper
range being 0.863 ^^ 0.867 ^^ 60 degrees F, If lower than 0.863 adulter-
ation with coal oil or benzine is likely. An admixture of rosin spirit
cannot be detected by this test and can be determined only by an ex-
pert analyst. However, color, odor and slow drying Will be sufficiently
indicative of its presence.

That adulterated turpentine is harmful to paint is clear and it is far
better for the painter to resort to benzine at once in preference to tur-
pentine and coal oil mixtures. Petroleum spirit or benzine or naphr
tha, as we know it, is almost indispensable to the paint shop to-day,
especially for the sake of economy in cleaning brushes, pots, etc. But
it is not confined to this function by any means. Where cheap work,
that is to dry flat, is required, it takes the place of turpentine as thinner
and has displaced turpentine almost entirely in the large establish-
ments, where agricultural implements and other articles are manufac-
tured. The naphtha or benzine in use is known as 63-degree deodor-
ized and its odor is fair, unlike that of coal oil, and not as pungent as
that of the more volatile gasoline, which many use in the place of ben-
zine.

Sixty-three degree benzine should have a specific gravity of 0.725, at
60 degree F., and weigh 6 pounds to the U. S. gallon. It should be
water white, free from acid or alkaline reaction, which can be ascer-
tained by the use of litmus paper, and when a drop of it is placed on
white paper it must evaporate completely without leaving any stain.
Gasoline is unfit for use in place of benzine, because it has a much
lower specific gravity and is much more dangerous to have about a
shop.

Now we come to the subject of driers. There is quite a variety, but
the variety exists more in names than in fact. We have paste driers,
liquid driers, lightning driers, pale japans, brown japans and coach
japans. The term drier usually indicates that it is an oil drier, while
the word japan is usually applied to a drier containing gum in addition
to oil as the binding medium, though this does not signify that a liquid
drier may not also contain gum.

f^atent or paste driers are usually intimate mixtures of lead and zinc
salts or manganese salts with white lead, paris white and barytes, but
are rarely used by painters at the present time. There was a time when
paste driers were much preferred to liquid driers, because of the lesser
tendency of the former to discoloration, but since varnish manufactur-
ers are furnishing pale liquid driers, these have the preference, except-
ing for purposes where the liquid cannot be employed for good rea-
sons. Liquid drier should not be too dark and have a good turpentine
odor. When it is dropped on a clean, dry piece of glass and the glass
placed vertically in a temperature of not less than 70 degrees F. it
should dry to the touch, free of tack, in four hours, and when rubbed

314 729 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED.

with the finger after twenty-four hours it should not powder off in a
fine dust, but remain fairly firm. It must mix with oil without curd-
ling in any proportion and not separate from the oil and fall to the
bottom in a curdled mass. When one part of this drier is mixed with
three parts of benzine and allowed to stand uncovered for three days
the solution must remain clear and show no appreciable separation of
linoxyn on the side of the vessel.

It is clear that a liquid drier that will stand these tests cannot be had
at low figures, but it will be a drier that can be depended upon to allow
good wear for the paint in which it is used.

Lightning driers are made with and without gum and are usually
benzine mixtures. When' made without gum they will dry on glass in
two hours, otherwise in less than thirty minutes. Under no conditions
should they be used by the painter for exposed work, where wear is
expected, because they make the oil paint more or less porous and re-
duce the gloss given to the paint by the oil. The only test necessary
is to see that they do not curdle the oil in certain proportions, and that
they are satisfactory driers.

Pale japan should not be darker than light amber, and when put on
glass in a thin film dry hard in two hours, and when allowed to remain
for twenty-four hours it must not powder under the friction of the
finger. Must mix freely without curdling with four times its volume
of raw linseed oil, and when this mixture is spread on glass it must
dry in twelve hours, free of tack in a temperature of 70 degrees F.
Brown japan, when applied in a thin film on clean, dry glass, should
dry free of tack in two hours, and when rubbed with the finger after
forty-eight hours it must not come off in a powder. It should not have
a benzine odor and must not curdle the oil in any proportion, but make
a mixture that will remain clear at least two hours, nor must the japan
coagulate and drop to bottom of vessel.

Coach japan, the necessary adjunct of the car and carriage shop, is
somewhat different from ordinary brown japan, and while it, too,
should not curdle oil it is hardly ever used with oil colors. When ap-
plied to glass, as in the cases before referred to, it should set up and be
free of tack in one hour and should not powder when rubbed with the
finger in seventy-two hours. Must have a true turpentine odor and
should not weigh less than water. When set away in a bottle it should
remain clear and not show any appreciable sediment. In conclusion,
we would say that the price paid for goods must be considered in pass-
ing judgment upon purchases, always being mindful of the fact that
first-class goods are best in the long run.

r39 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED. 315

INDEX

The^ numbers refer to the paragraphs or sections.

Absinthe green, 701,

Acid, carbolic, and soft soap as a paint remover, 286.

fumes ; paint to resist, 340.

oxalic, as a stain remover, 388.
effect on varnish, 313.

stain to imitate mahogany, 606.

used to produce chipped glass sign effects, 530.

white or obscuring for glass embossing, 390.
Acids; staining woodwork with, 536.
Air drying enamel ; repainting bicycles with, 689.
Alcohol ; paint that will stand, 87.
Alizarine, 737.

lake, 3.
Alum in paste, 113.

Aluminum bronze on glass ; size for, 479.
paint ; vehicle for, 460.
size for, 463.

leaf ; glazing to obtain golden effect, 442.
on wood ; size for, 416.
quick drying size for, 183.

paint for finishing bathroom, 215.
Amber color, to mix, 336.

Ammonia vapors; painting machinery to stand, 261.
American vermilion, 273, 737.

and English vermilion; how to mix for sign work, 535.
Aniline lakes, 737.
Anti-fouling paint, 99.
Antique oak ; staining cypress and Southern pine to imitate, 370.

copper or bronze, imitation of, 554.
Apparent perishing of Chinese and Prussian blue in a white lead and

zinc paint, 354.
Ash stain, black, 440.
Ashes of roses, to mix, 336.

3i6 7S9 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED,

Asphaltum, 669.

and coal tar; mixing, 196.

compared with lampblack and oil for painting an iron stack, 375.

on iron fences, 81.

paint for coating steel water tower, 342.
Attaching block and fall to smokestack, 161.

pearl to glass, 710.
Aquariums ; cement or putty for, 33, 539, 673.
Auburn, 701.

Avenarius, carbolineum, 206.
Azure blue, 705.

Backing for gilding on glass, 71.

gold leaf on glass, 437.
Backgrounds; photographers', 20.
Backs of mirrors ; to coat with quicksilver, 563.
Bakers' delivery wagons ; coating on inside to prevent bulging, 302.
Baking enamels and colored lacquers, 210.

japan; black, 669.
Balls, golf; repainting, 309.
Banana oil, 460.

Banners, canvas and muslin ; filler for, 694.
Bar of a saloon ; to finish, 322.

tops; to keep in good condition, 160.
Barroom counter ; to finish, 607.
Barium sulphate, 268.
Barytes, 268.

Basements; cure for damp walls in, 220.
Basement walls ; to prevent or cure mold or mildew, 527.
Bathroom ; finishing with aluminum paint, 215.

white gloss finish turning red, 265.
Bathtubs, cast iron ; to enamel rough outside surface, 419.

painting or enameling, 317.

zinc lined ; to paint, 73.
Bay, 701.

Beating paint in dipping vats by steam, 644.
Beaver, 701.
Benzine, 214.

and rosin oil size ; papering over, 225.
Benzol, 214.

Bicycles; repainting with air drying enamel, 690.
Binder, cheap, for distemper, 32.
Birch; mahogany stain for, 453.
water stain for use on, 583.

red ; how to finish, 575.

staining pine or spruce to imitate, 598.

to finish with wax polish, 411.
Bismarck brown, 336.

739 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED. 317

Blacks, 733.

Black ash stain in water or spirit, 440.

baking japan, 669.

carbon and mineral, value of, 272.

dip for stove pipe, 30,

enamel for stove pipes and sheet iron work, 595.

flat for grille work, 466.

for imitation of ebony, 591.

hearse ; painting, 603.

ink for show cards, 109, 230.

japanning for pressed steel articles, 367.

letters in brass signs ; refilling, 534.

most permanent, 12.

oil stain for oak, 453.

paint for locomotive fronts, 699.

stain for oak, 438.

to stain oak, 297.

Blackboard on plastered walls ; renovating, 223.
paint which cannot be scratched by chalk, 714.
ruling lines on, 82.
slating for plastered walls, 389.
how to prepare and apply, 311.

Blackened orange shellac varnish; can it be restored to original color?
632.
spots in yellow pine; restoring, 374.

Blackening of gold bronze, 75, 100.

white lead and zinc paint in streaks, 519.
on north and east exposures, 610.

paint; does an excess of turpentine cause this on exterior
Work? 387.

Blacking for stoves, 399.

Bleaching and refining linseed oil for white lead grinding, 533.

darkened wood with chloride of lime and soda solution, 398.

linseed oil by exposure to sunlight, 185,

Blended colors, and clouded eflFects, 413.

Blinds; removing paint from, 173.

Blistering and checkering of varni^ on boats, 567.

and scaling of paint, 217.

of oil paint after repeatedly burning off and repainting, 570.

of paint caused by water, 678.
on hot houses, 72.
on locomotive cabs; 107.
on new floors, 26.
Block and fall; to attach to smokestack, 161.
Blowpipe test for white lead, 601, 731.
Blues, 734.
Blue, Chinese and Prussian, apparently perishing in paint, 354,

light, wall paper fading, 708.

unfading, for wall painting, 625.
Board walls ; to hang burlap on, 320.

3i8 r39 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED.

Boat ; paint for, 677.
to repaint, 461.
varnish blistering and checkering on, 567.

Boiled oil, 44.

vs. raw linseed oil for wagon painting, 647.
Bole, 469.

Books, cloth covered ; to paint ornaments and letters on, 142.
Borax to retard hardening of plaster, 704.
Bottle green, 736.
Bowling alleys ; finishing, 19.
Bows and violins; to clean, 510.
Brass and copper sigfis, 423.

chandeliers ; cleaning and relacquering, 379.

cleaner and polish, liquid, 655.

cleaning before buffing, 314.

gilding on, 503.

lacquer for, 323.

signs; cement for filling in, 715.
filling for letters in, 227, 667.
refilling black letters in, 534.

varnish to prevent from tarnishing, 193.

Brick, enameled ; to restore to original color, 650.
or cement wash ; silica for ( ?) 605.
painted front; to renovate, 341.
paint to pencil over and wear well, 520.
red, flat, 424.

Milwaukee ; to remove weather stains from, 259.
removing white spots from, 693.
soft that has shelled; repainting, 303,
stains, 164.

to remove moss growtli, 187.
waterproof wash for, 96.
wall ; closing cracks in to keep out moisture, 666.

laid in cement, to enamel, 208.

mold or efflorescence on, 546.

painting, 458.

paint peeling, 98.

plastered; painting, 21.

priming or first coating, 634.

showing efflorescence ; paint that will hold on, 505.

cement, size or wash for, 580, 608.

to clean mortar spots, 684.

to make waterproof, 435.

to prevent moisture striking through, 685.

whitewashed ; to paint, 298.

whitewashed; will oil paint stand on? 171.

Venetian red for stainmg, 662.
Brickwork painting, flat finish, 269.

Brightness of tiled floor ; to retain, 656.

Bright orange color ; how to make, 507.

739 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED. 319

Bronze, aluminum, on glass ; size for, 479.

size for, 463.
antique; to imitate, 554.
color on glass, 57.

dry ; to keep from sticking to glass and japanned tin, 446.
gold ; blackening, 75, 100.

for picture frames that will not tarnish, 457.

for striping on kalsomine, 170.

to prevent from turning brown, 190.
green, 736.

heavy ; liquid that will hold up, 299.
in place of gold leaf on wagon work, 425.
paint (aluminum) ; vehicle for, 460.
that will not tarnish, 548.
to prevent tarnishing, 48.

Bronzing articles of wood ; groundwork for, 263.
cast iron and polished steel, 572.
liquid for exterior work, 548.

that will hold up heavy bronze, 299.
on glass, 139.
picture moldings, 426.
plaster casts, 78.

Browns, 735.

Brown, cassel ; to keep soft, 90.
japan driers, 564.

Brush, stippling ; to clean, 454.

Brushes that have been used in shellac; to clean, 629.
varnish ; to clean from dirt, 162.

Buckram ; to hang, 414.

BuiBng; cleaning brass before, 314.

Bunting, wool ; to paint, 80.

Burgundy brown, 336.
pitch, 502.

Burlap; to fasten to walls or ceilings, 172.
to hang, 414.

to hang for wall decorations, 584.
to hang on board walls, 320.
to si^e for painting, 127.

Burning off and repainting repeatedly; paint blistering afterward, 570.

Burnished gilding; size for, 551.
gold letters on glass, 451.

Burnishing gilding, 500.
gold lead, 147.
size, 500.

Burnt ochers, 737.
sienna, 735.
umber, 735.

320 739 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED,

Carbon black, 733.
value of, 272.

paints, 99.
Cards, show ; black ink for, 109.

black ink and water colors for, 230.
Carmine, 737.

Carriage body ; to repaint without removing old paint, 682.
painting; glazing putty or knifing-in lead, 346.
roughstuff, 124.

top dressing, 153, 312, 495.

rubber cloth ; paint that will not brack or peel off, 537.
Cassel brown ; to keep soft, 90.
Cast iron and polished steel ; to bronzy 572.

bathtubs ; to enamel rough outside surface, 419.
sash ; putty for glazing, 444.
Casting plaster ornaments ; .molds for, 384.
Castings, iron; filler and paint for, 116.
Casts, plaster; bronzing, 78.

to paint clear white, 481.
Causes for paint fading on exterior of foundries, 249.
Cause of livering of colors in oil or japan, 211.
Cafe au lait, 701.
Calcimining — see "kalsomining."
Calcination of sienna, 549.
Calif nornia pine ; keeping back the sap, 611.
Canada pitch, 502.

Caned seats in chairs; to clean, 237.
Canoe; paint for, 677.

to repaint, 461.
Cans, tin ; ijiucilage for labels on, 300.
paint to prevent from rusting, 325.
Canvas banners; filler for, 694.

covered walls; freehand relief on, 531. •

painting, 76.

to prevent paper parting on, 213.

to size for painting, 127.
Car; cleaning for re-varnishing, 330.

freight; stencils for lettering on, 555.

painting; glazing putty or knifing-in lead, 346.

seats : to dye without removing plush, 329.
Carbolic acid and soft soap for removing paint and varnish, 286.
Carbolineum Avenarius, 206.
Ceiling and walls, to clean, 10.

beamed and panel; to paper, 158.

kalsomined ; stains in, 30(5.

metal; paint for, 150.

of yellow pine ; preparing for painting, 597.

paper parting on canvas; to prevent, 213.

repainting in water color, 441.

smoky; to clean before painting in distemper, 504.

739 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED. 321

Ceiling

spotted and water stained; to repaint in water colors, 517.

spotting, 252.

whitewashed; kalsomining, loi.
Cellars; cure for damp walls in, 220.
Celluloid articles; cement for, 688.

to fasten to other articles, 705.
Cement, brick wall laid in ; to enamel, 208.

enamel paint on, 8.

for broken plaster casts, 267.
celluloid articles, 688.
filling in brass signs, 715.
marble, 168.
plaster figures or ornaments, 236.

impregnating wood with, 40.

made from cheese and lime, 256.

molding; unshrinkable, 468.

or putty for aquariums, 33, 539, 673.

painting on, 7.

pavements ; to remove stains and paint spots, 402.

roughcast; paint for, 229.

size or wash for exterior of brick, concrete, or stone walls, 580,' 608.

wash; silica for (?), 605.
why is lime water used in it? 608.

wall ; paint that will stand without peeling, 282.

waterproof, 719.
for china, 723.
Chairs, to clean caned seats of, 237.
Chalking of white lead and oil paint in one year, 355.

in oil and dry lampblack, 262.
Chamois skins ; treatment of, 103.
Chandeliers ; cleaning and relacquering, 379.
Cheap coal tar and mineral paint, 65.

method of frosting glass, 163.

mixed paints, ready for use, 226.

oils for roof painting, 518.

paint, 86.

for rough shed, 691.

shingle stains, 612.

sizes for walls to be kalsomined or painted, 728.
Cheapening paint, 28.
Checkering of varnish on boats, 567.
Checking and peeling after repainting, 470.
Checks in varnish, 47.
Cheese and lime; cement made from, 256.
Cherry graining. 418.
Cherry; mahogany water stain for use on, 583.

refinishing whitewood and light walnut to imitate, 508,

stain, 344.

stain to be used over dark oak, 305.

322 739 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED.

Chestnut, 701.
Chilled varnish, 58.
China glossing, 360, 653.
interior work, 585.

China; waterproof cement for, 723.
Chinese blue, 734.

apparent perishing in paint, 354.
Chipped glass gilding, 371.

signs, 202, 476.

signs produced by acid, 530.

Chloride of lime and soda for bleaching darkened wood, 398.
Chocolate, 701.
Chromes, 738.
Chrome greens, 736.
red, 737.

Church seats that are stained and varnished ; stippling, 703.

Clapboarding ; cost and labor for painting, 664.

Claret color, 336.

Cleaner and polish for brass, liquid, 655.

Cleaning and preservation of oak parquet floors, 349.
and relacquering brass chandeliers, 379.

renewing gilt frames, 496.

renovating oil paintings, 675.
brass before buffing, 314.
caned seats in chairs, 237.
cars for re-varnishing, 330.
mortar spots from brick walls, 684.
paint, 37.

painted walls, 475.
paste for show windows, 169.
sea shells, 616.
shellac brushes, 629.
smoke from plaster ornaments, 400.
smoky ceilings for painting in distemper, 504.
stained marble without destroying polish, 195.
stippling brush, 454.
varnish- brushes, 162.
violins and bows, 510.
wall paper, 135, 231.

Clear, burnished gold letter on glass, 451.

Climbing a flagpole without spurs, 165.

Cloth covered books ; to paint ornaments and letters on, 142.
indelible crayon for lettering without sizing, 589.
to fasten permanently to stone, 706.
to make waterproof and elastic, 137.

Clouded effects and blended effects, 413.
of stain and varnish ; remedy for, 2.

Coach japan, 739.

729 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED. 323

Coal tar and asphaltum ; mixing, 195.
paint, 65.

to thin so as to spread without heating, 521.
striking through paint, 94.
Coating backs of mirrors with quicksilver, 563.

for oil skins (seamen's), 588.

inside of bakers' delivery wagons to prevent bulging, 302.

shingles, 617.

steel water tower with asphaltum paint or varnish, 342.

very old, hard, smooth plastered walls, 353.
Cobalt blue, 734.
Colonial house; painting, 152.
Cold chilling varnish, 58.

colors, 255.

water paint changing color on drying, 343.
Color, bright orange ; how to make, 507.

combinations for walls and ceilings, 381.

gold; for lettering, 294.

graining, 134.

harmony for maple graining, ir.

light oak graining, 587.

or paint that will not peel off rubber cloth carriage tops, 537.

water; repainting ceiling in, 441.

wax finish in, 138.
Colored lacquers, 210.

transparent varnish for incandescent light globes, 382.
Colorless spirit varnish, 175.

varnish for marbleized work, 663.
Colors, blended, 413.

composition of, 701.

graining; how to mix to work and blend well, 257.

in oil or japan livering, 211.

in the rainbow, 558.

japan, curdling when raw oil is added, 405.

to mix, 336.

warm, cold, light and dark, 258.

water, lining on, 383.

water ; to apply to plain side of wall paper, 712.
Combed walls, 248.

Combinations of colors for walls and ceilings, 381.
Composition of gloss oil and its uses, 224.

various colors and tints, 701.
Concrete walls ; cement, size or wash for, 580, 608.
Copper and brass signs, 523.

antique; imitation of, 554.

for outside work; to prepare, 554.

gilding on, 503.

signs; filling for letters in, 227.

paint for ships' bottoms, 288.

to imitate on iron hot water tank, 422.

to preserve from tarnishing, 108.

to prevent discoloration, 68.

324 739 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED.

Cork paint for interior of iron roof, 464.
Corn oil, 739.

Cornices, galvanized iron, to paint, 729.
Cost and labor for painting' clapboarding, 664.
Cotton cloth; lettering on, 145.

painting on, 561.
Cottonseed oil, 739.
Counter, barroom; to finish, 607.

top, hard pine ; finish for, 352.
to keep in good condition, 160.
Covering power ; loss of in zinc white, 83.
Cracked paint ; removing from exterior surfaces, 240.

zinc white surface, to renovate, 609.
Cracking and flaking of paint, 631.

and peeling paint on weatherboards, 496.

of grained work, 2911

paint on sheltered portion of dwellings, 308.

varnish on graining, 43.
Cracks and Jioles, large; putty for, 643.

in brick or stone walls ; closing to keep out moisture^ 666.
hard pine floors ; to fill, 630.
plastered walls, 4.
plastered walls; filling, 218.
Crawling of distemper graining color, 35.

of paint, 369.

of varnish, 52.
Crayon, indelible, for lettering on cloth or muslin without sizing, 589.

for drawing on paper, 378.
Cream, painters*, 377.
Creeping of paint, 369.
Creosote shingle stains, 385, 547, 604.
Crepe paper; to hang, 414.
Crude turpentine, 324.

Curdling of japan colors when raw oil is added, 405.
Cure for damp walls in basements and cellars, 219.
Curing mildew in basement walls, 527.
Cut-in signs ; to apply flock to, 665.
Cypress graining, 637.
Cypress ; painting on exterior work, 203.
Cypress ; to stain in imitaion of golden, antique and red oak, 370.

Damask red, 701.
Damp walls, 60.

cause of spots on wall paper, 645.
cure for in basements and cellars, 220.
Dark colors, 258.
green stain for redwood, 179.
stain, 344.
Darkened wood ; bleaching, 398.

739 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED, . • 325

Darkening of oil paint, 105.

of shellac varnish in metal packages, 197.

of Venetian red on exposure, 403.
Day's work; average amount of square feet, 512.
Dead finish in old ivory tint, 244.

on enamel, 702.
Deadening and perishing of oil in exposed places, 445.

paint; cause of, 186.
Decalcomania transfer ornaments, 471.
Decoration (wall) ; tapestry and burlap, 584.
Deeply penetrating ebony stain, 166.
Deodorizing lubricating mineral oils, 156.
Desk tops ; to fasten leather or oilcloth to, 264.
Dials of compasses ; paint for, 87.

Difference between benzine, gasoline and naphtha, 214.
Dining room; finish for, 115.
Dip, black, for stovepipe, 30.
Dipping articles of hard wood ; mixtures for, 550.

paints; heating in vats, 191.
vermilion, 157.

process of japanning, 367.

shingles, 612.

vats ; paint in beaten by steam, 644.
Dirt ; to remove from painted walls, 10.
Discoloring of paint on plastered walls, 266.
Display table ; to paint in white, 429.
Dissolving gum shellac, 472.
in water, 427.

rubber to mix with oil, 652.
Distemper; cheap binding for, 32.

gilding; size for, 551.

graining color crawling, 35.

greens for, 46.

painting ; to clean smoky ceilings for, 504.
Discoloration of copper by verdigris, 68.
Dome ; to gild with gold leaf, 552.
Doors and sash, oak ; refinishing, 242.

oak, that are badly weather stained ; to refinish, 716.
Dove wing, 701.
Dressing for carriage tops, 153, 312.

for linoleum, 480, 725.
Driers, 739.

and japans, 568.

amount of japan to be used in paint, 292.

japan, pale and brown, 564.

lightning; as size for whitewashed walls, 674.
for inside work, 674.

oil, that will not change the color of oil paints, 532.

to make linseed oil paint dry in 3 to 4 hours, 200.
Drinking water tank; sanitary paint for inside of, 511.
Drop black, 733.

326 739 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED,

Dry bronze; to keep from sticking to glass or japanned tin, 446.

lampblack; mixing for tinting, without grinding, 275.

white lead ; how pulped and ground in linseed oil, 526.
Drying of French yellow on floors, 368.
plaster ; to quicken, 443.

oil, 638.

out of tinted cold water paint, 343.
Duck's egg color, 336.
Dull drying varnish, in.

finish on hearse, 672.
Durability of shellac as first coat on exterior work, 459.
Durable and fireproof shingle stains, 695.

paint for turpentine tanks, 16.

polish for hardwood table tops, 221,

stain for shingles, 117.
Dust ; to remove from painted walls, 10.
Dustless floor polish or floor oil, 347.
Dyeing car seats without removing plush, 329.

Ebony; black for imitation of, 591.

stain, 166.

for floors, 692.
Economy in repainting much worn surfaces, 707.
EfHorescence on brick' walls; paint that will hold on, 505.

on exposed walls, 64.

on rough-plastered walls, 246.

or mold on brick walls, 546.
Egyptian brown, 701.
Elastic cloth, 137.
Electric blue, 701.

green, 701.

turquoise, 701.
Embossed glass, gilding, 371.

wall paper ; to hang, 279.
Embossing glass, 179.

glass ; white acid for, 390.
Emerald green, 736.
Emulsion ; linseed oil and water, 86.
Enamel, air drying ; repainting bicycles with, 690.

baking, 210.

black, for stove pipes and sheet iron work, 595.

dead finish on, 702.

for interior work, 543.

paint on cement, 8.
flowing on, 540.
to prevent settling without injuring drying quality, 525.

top dressing for carriages, 495.
Enameled bricks ; to restore to original color, 650.

furniture; to paint and finish, 363.

73Q PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED. 327

Enameling a brick, engine room wall, laid in cement, 208.
interior of a refrigerator in white, 304.
interior work, 585.
of varnish, 128.

rough outside surface of cast iron bath tubs, 419.
zinc bath tubs, 317.

Engine painting, 77.
room wall, brick laid in cement ; to enamel, 208.

English and American vermilion ; how to mix for sign work, 535.
vermilion, 273, 737.
Oxford ocher, 738.

Estimiating cost and labor for painting clapboarding, 664.

Etching on glass, 473.

Exposed plaster; painting, 25.
surfaces ; paint darkening on, 105.
surfaces; rapid fading of pink tints on, 251.
walls; efflorescence, 64.

Exposure for a short time causing Venetian red to darken, 403.
gloss in oil paint to stand, 660.

Exterior house painting ; to mix white lead and zinc for, 730.
of dwelling checking and peeling after repainting, 470.
paint fading on foundries, 249.

peeling, 488.

thinners required, 6.
painted work spotted after severe rain storm, 404.
painting; killing knots, 436.

proportions of white lead and zinc white for, 465.

on cypress, 203.
surfaces ; removing cracked paint from, 240.
work ; bronzing liquid for, 548.

killing knots, 42.

Fabrics; fireproofing, 84.

Fading of light blue wall paper, 708.
of pink tints on exposed surfaces, 251.
paint: cause of, 186.

on exterior of foundries, 249.

Failure of paint to stand in repainting a house, 724.

Fastening celluloid to other articles, 705.
leather or oilcloth to table or desk tops, 264.

Fawn pink, 701.

Fence paint, 86.

iron; painting with asphaltum, 81.

Figures, plaster ; cement for, 236.

Filled wood ; to remove fly specks, 182.

328 T39 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED,

Filler for canvas and muslin banners, 694.

hard and soft woods, 129.

iron castings, 116.

iron surfaces, 366.

yellow pine, 415.
green, for oak, 594.
liquid, 27, 659.

or shellac, 477.
paste, 345.

for golden oak, 409.

Filling and finishing redwood, 359.
cracks in hard pine floors, 630.

in plastered walls, 218.
in letters on metal signs, 51.
for brass signs, 667.

for letters in brass, zinc and copper signs, 227.
redwood, 179.
and varnishing oak so it will not show pitting, 697.

Fineness of grinding of oil colors, 732.

Finish (dead) ; old ivory tint, 244.

hard oil, sweating on interior woodwork, 452.

for hard pine counter top, 352.

for hardwood floors, 126.

for red birch, 575.

for redwood, 359.

wax, for various kinds of wood, 315.

white gloss, turning red in bathroom, 265.

Finishing bathroom with aluminum paint, 215.
bowling alleys, 19.
dining room and parlor, 115.
enameled furniture, 363.

floors with wax that have been partly oiled, 350.
furniture with high polish, 234.
furniture sixteenth century style, 649.
hard open grained wood with high polish, 722.
hardwood floors, 67, 284.
hardwood mantels, 713.
mahogany, 658.

mahogany counter top in wax and staining same, 484.
musical instruments, 651.
natural wood, 658.
oak, natural, with high polish, 579.
radiators in white with gloss, 181.
saloon bar, 322.

whitewood and birch with wax polish, 411.
yellow pine, 97.

Fire checks in varnish, 47.

Fireproof paint, 34, 174, 301.
white, 328.
shingle stains, 695.

739 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED. 329

Fireproofing textiles, 84.
Fires in paint shops, 177.
Fire-resisting wash for shingles, 478.

First class floor paint, 241. ,

flat work, 613.

coating exterior brick walls, 634.

coat on exterior work; durability of shellac, 459.
Flagpole ; to climb without spurs, 165.
Flake white; quick drying for striping, i.
Flaking and cracking of paint, 631.

of paint from priming composed of remants, 395.
Flat black for grille work, 466.

brick red, 424.

finish brick, 269.

to make white lead dry — on walls, 289.

work ; to produce a first-class job, 613.
Flatting of Tuscan red, 143.

varnish, 623.
Flemish oak, 406.
Flesh color, 15.

Flock ; to apply to cut-in signs, 665.
Floors; blistering of paint on, 26.

drying of French yellow on, 368.
. ebony stain for, 602.

finish that will not show scratches, 126.

hard maple, varnish for, 274.

hard pine ; to fill cracks in, 630.
to refinish by waxing, 630.

hardwood ; removing varnish or paint from, 689.
to finish, 67.
various ways of finishing, 284.

maple ; treatment of, 149.

of kitchen' and porches ; best way to paint, 295. -

oil, dustless, 347.

paint, 120.
first class, 241.

parquet ; cleaning and preservation of, 349.

partly oiled ; finishing with wax, 350.

polish, dustless, 347.

polishing, 38.

putty for, 70.

removing varnish or paint from, 726.

soft wood ; finish for, 679.

tiled; to retain brightness, 656.

to remove ink stains from, 628.

to remove wax or shellac from, 619.

varnished; treatment before revarnishing, 281.

va rnish finish ; 722.

water glass for, 285.

wax finish, 722.
for hardwood, 614.

330 739 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED.

Floors,
' waxing, 339.

wood ; waterproof putty for, 280.
Flowing on varnish or enamel paints, 540.
Flour paste that will not liquefy, 501.
Flyspecks ; to remove from new or filled wood, 182.
Foundries ; exterior paint fading on, 249.
Frames, picture ; gold bronze that will not tarnish, 457.
putty for raised work, 688.

gilt ; to clean and renew, 496.
Freehand relief, 176.

on canvas covered walls, 531.
Freestone tint, 290.
Freezing ; does it impair quality of linseed oil, 569.

effect on fresh paint, 22.
Freight cars ; stencils for lettering on, 555.
French yellow and American ocher, 140.
for floors, 368.
ocher, 738.
Fresco work; water stains in, 717.

Fresh walls; papering over a size of rosin oil and benzine, 225.
Front ends of locomotives ; black paint for, 699.
Frosted glass, 222.
imitating, 247.

mirrors ; how to produce in a simple way, 250.
Frosting glass, 36.

cheap method, 163.
Frozen plastered walls ; to make wall paper stick, 586.
Fumes, acid; paint to resist, 340.
Furniture, enameled ; to paint and finish, 363.

finish with high polish, 234.

oak ; light color, 53.

sixteenth century style, 649.

to obtain rich wine colored effect in refinishing, 401.

Galvanized iron; paint peeling from, 498.
to paint, 45, 729.

lining of water tank ; to paint, 485.
Gas carbon black, 733.

fixtures; cleaning and relacquering, 379.
Gasoline, 214.

Getting dirt out of varnish brushes, 162.
Gilding, burnished and distemper; size for, 551.

chairs; cheap method, 155.

dome with gold leaf, 552.

letters on stone, 106.

on brass and copper, 503.

on chipped or embossed glass, 371.

739 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED. 331

Gilding,
on glass, 228.

aflfected by moisture, 582.

backing for, 71.

matt with burnished outlines, 132.

size for, 338, 380, 434.
store windows in winter, 198.
to burnish, 500.
tools for, 147.

Gilt frames ; to clean and renew, 496.

Glass; bronze colors en, 57.
chipped, signs, produced by acid, 530.
clear, burnished gold letters on, 451.
embossing and silvering, 180.

white acid for, 390.
etching, 473.
frosting, 36.

cheap method, 163.
gilding, 228.

backing for, 71, 437.

chipped or embossed, 371.

effect of moisture on, 582.

matt with burnished outlines, I32.

(outside) in winter, 198.

size for, 338, 380, 434.
ground or frosted ; imitating, 247.

painting, 54.

to imitate, 529.
plate; cleaning paste, 168.
signs; chipped, 202, 476.
silvering, 199, 657.
silvering, 199.

and bronzing, 139.

without heat, 391, 462.
size for aluminum bronze on, 479.
softening of letters painted on, 590.
split or hoar frost, 222.
to apply luminous paint on, 430.
to attach pearl to, 710.
to keep dry bronze from sticking, 446.
to remove from windows without breaking, 509, 711.

Glaze, green, for oak graining, 594.

Glazed papers; waxes for, 125.

Glazing aluminum leaf to obtain golden eflfect, 442.
cast iron sash ; putty for, 444.
hot houses ; putty for, 238.
putty for car and carriage work, 346.

Glaziers' putty that will not crumble, 394.

Globes for incandescent lamps ; colored varnish for, 382.

332 739 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED,

Gloss finish, white, turning red in bathroom, 265.
for leather, 661.
in oil paint to stand exposure to all weather conditions, 204.

to stand outside exposure, 660.
loss of in linseed oil, 69.
oil, 224.

white. finish for radiators, 181.
Glossing, china, 360, 653.

interior work, 585.
Glue, liquid ; preparation of, 24.
size,' 361.
to harden, 443.
to keep liquid, 372.
to test, 63.
Gnats; what can be added to paint to keep away, 491.
Gold bronze blackening, 75, 100.

for old picture frames, that will not tarnish, 457.
for striping on kalsomine, 170.
in place of leaf on wagon work, 425.
to prevent from turning brown, 190.
Gold (burnished) letters on glass, 451.
color for lettering, 294.
leaf on glass ; backing for, 437.
patent ; to lay on wood, 524.
quick drying size for, 183.
should it be varnished? 362.
testing, 17.

to burnish, 147. .

to gild dome with, 552.
size for burnished and distemper gilding, 551.

oil, 551-
tarnishing on smalted sign boards, 239.
Golden effect on aluminum leaf by glazing, 442.
oak, 146, 565.
paste filler, 409.

staining cypress or Southern pine to imitate, 370.
veneering, 720.
ocher, 738.
russet olive, 701.
Golf balls; repainting, 309.
Good putty, 167.
Gothic blue, 701.
Grained work cracking, 291.
Graining, 722.
cherry, 418.
color, 134.

distemper, crawling, ^t;.

light oak, 587.

rosewood and mahogany, 578.

that may be rubbed, 29.

how to mix to work and blend well, 257.

rS9 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED, 33S

Graining,
cypress, 637.

green glaze for oak, 594.
grounds, rosewood and mahogany, 578.
maple; color harmony for, 11.
over white paint, 5.
varnish cracking on, 43.
whitewood caskets to imitate rosewood, 596.
woodwork in imitation of mahogany, 408.

Granite; imitation of, 516.

Graphite paint for smokestack, 159.
ships bottoms, 99.

Grease spots; to remove from marble, 31, 255.
from stone, 93, 642.
from wall paper, 680.

Green, dark, stain for redwood, 179.
filler for oak, 594.
glaze for oak graining, 594.
(sea) stain for whitewood, 639.
stain for woodwork, 515.

Greenhouses ; putty for glazing, 238.

Greens, 736.
for distemper painting, 46.
how to mix, 290.
limeproof , for kalsomining, 492.

Greenstone, 290.
Grille work ; flat black for, 466.
Grinding pigments ; linseed oil required, 287, 376.
white lead ; refining and bleaching raw linseed oil for, 533.

Ground glass ; imitating, 247.
painting, 54.
to imitate on ordinary window panes without removing, 525).

Grounds for rosewood and mahogany graining, 578.
Groundwork for bronzing articles of wood, 263.
Guarding against fires in paint shops, 177.
Gum shellac ; to dissolve, 472.
to dissolve in water, 427.

Gumming up of shellac varnish ; to prevent, 392.
Gutta percha ; substitute for insulating, 592.
Gypsum, 184.

Hanging burlap, crepe and buckram, 414.
on board walls, 320.
heavy embossed or pressed wall paper, 279.
pressed wall paper, 499.
tapestry and burlap for wall decorations, 584.

334 7B9 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED.

Hard and soft wood filler, 129.

drying varnish crawling, 52.

finished walls; paper loosening on, 131.

japan colors ; to soften, 23.

maple floors, varnish for, 274.

oil finish sweating on interior woodwork, 452.
turning white, 428.

pine counter top ; finish for, 352.
floor ; to fill cracks in, 630.
to refinish by waxing, 630.

smooth-plastered walls ; to coat, 353.

walls ; to treat for hanging tapestry and burlap, 584.
Hardening glue, 443.
Hardwood articles ; mixtures for dipping, 550.

floors; to finish, 67, 126, 284.

removing varnish or paint from, 689.

floor wax, 614.

mantels, finishing, 713.

open grained, to finish with high polish, 722.

removing paint from, 13.

rosewood stain for, 373.

table tops; durable polish for, 221.
Hearse ; dull finish on, 672.

to paint black, 603.
white, 66.
Heat; painting machinery to stand, 261.

varnishing table tops to resist, 85.
Heating dipping paints in vats, 191.
Heavy bronze ; liquid that will hold up, 299.
Heliotrope, 701.

Hobby horses; to remove paint and varnish. from, 365.
Holes and cracks, large ; putty for, 643.
Hot steam pipes ; paint for, 439.
Hot water pipes ; paint for, 277.

tank, iron ; to paint in imitaion of copper, 422.
Hothouses ; paint peeling and blistering, y2.

putty for glazing, 238.
House numbers ; luminous paint for, 216.

on which paint has scaled badly ; to repaint, 544.

painting, exterior ; to mix white lead and zinc for, 730.
Hues ; to mix, 336.
Hydraulic lime, 431.
Hydrometer test for linseed oil, 739.

Ice machinery painting, 77,

Imitating birch by staining pir^e or spruce, 598.

ground for frosted glass, 247, 529.

mahogany by staining with acid, 606.

quartered oak, 718, 720.

7S9 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED, 335

Imitation gold color for lettering, 294.
of antique copper or bronze, 554.
of cypress by graining, 637.
of ebony; black for, 591.
of granite, 516.

of patina ; wiped verdigris finish, 357.
vermilion, 273.

Impregnation of wood, with cement, 40.

Incandescent light globes ; colored transparent varnish for, 382.

Indelible crayon for lettering on cloth or muslin without sizing, 589.

Indian red, 737.

Ingrain paper; to prevent from drying out spotted, 319.

Ink, black, for show cards, 109, 229.
for rubber stamps, 467.
stains ; to remove from floors, 628.
to remove from light tiling, 351.

Inside work ; lightning driers for, 674.

Instruments, musical, finishing, 651. , ,

Insulating; substitute for gutta percha, 591.

Interior china glossing and enameling, 585.
varnish crawling, 52.

woodwork ; hard oil finish 'sweating on, 452.
work, enamel, for, 543.

paint not drying on, 331.

wax finish for, 721.

Invisible green, 336.

Iodine test for linseed oil, 253.

Iron bathtubs ; to enamel rough outside surface, 419.
cast, and polished steel ; to bronze, 572.
castings; filler and paint for, 116.
fences ; painting with asphaltum, 81.
galvanized ; paint peeling from, 498.
japanning, 348.

nails ; to keep from rusting in wood on exposure, 209.
roof paint, 45.

painting interior with cork paint, 464.
rusting through white lead, 55.
sash ; putty for glazing, 444.
(sheet) ; black enamel for, 595.

stack; painting with lampblack and oil as against asphaltum, 375.
surfaces ; filler for, 366.
tanks for turpentine ; paint for, 16.

Ironwork ; flat black for, 466.
painting with read lead, 118.
priming, 151.

Isabella, 701.

Ivory tint, 290.

(old) ; dead finish, 244.
white, 310.

336 739 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED.

Japan, 739.

black baking, 669.

colors curdling when raw oil is added, 405.
livering, 211.

to soften after having become hard, 123.
drier ; amount to be used in paint, 292.

pale and brown, 564.
and driers, 568.
Japanned tin ; to keep dry bronze from sticking, 446.

to re-japan, 318.
Japanning black pressed steel articles by dipping process, 367.

tin or iron, 348.
Jonquil, 701.

Kalsomine; gold bronze' for striping on, 170.

peeling of paint from, 635.

preparing, 104, 641.

stains in plastered walls to be coated with, 560.

water stains in, 717.
Kalsomined ; cheap sizes for wall to be, 728.

walls and ceilings ; stains in, 306. ,

walls, papering over, 39.

walls ; to prepare for kalsomining, 686.
Kalsomining ; lime-proof green for, 492.

new or whitewashed plastered walls ; size for, 624.

over wall paper, 626.

to prepare whitewashed or kalsomined walls for, 686.

to remove whitewash before, 321.

whitewashed ceilings, loi.
Keeping back sap in California pine, 611.
Killing knots, 42, 141.

on exterior of frame buildings, 436.
Kitchen floors ; best way to paint, 295.

wall ; paint peeling off to the plaster, 450.
Knifing-in lead, for car and carriage work, 346.
Knots, killing, 42, 141.

to kill on exterior work, 436.

Labels; colorless varnish for, 175.

on tin cans ; mucilage for, 300.
Labor and cost for painting clapboarding, 664.
Lacquers, colored, 210.

for brass and mode of application, 323.
Lacquering brass chandeliers, 379.
Lakes, 737.

madder and alizarine, 3.
Lamp globes, incandescent ; colored varnish for, 382.

739 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED, 337

Lampblack, 733.

and oil against asphaltum for painting an iron stack, 375.
mixing dry without grinding for tinting, 275.

Large cracks and holes ; putty for, 643.

Laying patent gold leaf on wood, 524.

Lead in oil hardening under water, 121.
knifing-in ; for car and carriage work, 346.
red, see "red lead."
resinate, 486.

water pipes; paint for, 119.
white ; see "white lead."

Leaf gold, testing, 17.
leather color, 336.
gloss, 661.

(highly polished) ; to remove paint from, 335.
preservatives for carriage tops, 495.
pyrographing on, 576.
to fasten to table or desk tops, 264.
varnish, 661.

Lettering; imitation of gold color for, 294.
on cloth or muslin ; indelible crayon for, 589.
on cotton fabric, 145.
on freight cars; stencils for, 555.
on wire screens to appear solid, 243.

Letters; filling for in metal signs, 227.
in brass signs ; refilling with black, 534.
on glass; clear, burnished gold, 451.
painted on glass ; softening, 590.

Levigation of sienna, 549.

Light blue wallpaper fading, 708.

color for oak furniture, 53.
. colors, 258.

oak graining color, 587.
stain, 344.

walnut ; refinishing to imitate cherry, 508.

woods ; putty for, 566.

Lighthouse paint ; U. S., 95.
Lightning driers, 739.

as size on whitewashed walls, 674.

for inside work, 674.

Lime and cheese ; cement made from, 256.

(chloride) and soda solution for bleaching darkened wood, 398.
hydraulic, 431.

Lime-proof greens for kalsomining on sand-finished walls, 492.

Lime water ; its value in paint, 386.
used in cement wash, 608.
whitewash, 192.

Limestone color, 336.

Lincrusta, painting, 92.

338 7S9 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED.

Linen; painting on, 561.
Lining blackboards, 82.
on water colors, 383.
Linoleum, restoring gloss, 88.

dressing and polish for, 480, 725.
Linseed oil, 739.

and water emulsion, 86.
bleaching, 185.
boiled, 44.

drier that will cause to dry in few hours, 200.
for grinding white lead, 102.
for outside painting, 358.
how pulped white lead is ground in, 526.
iodine and saponification tests for, 253.
is it impaired by freezing, 569.
losing gloss, 69.

painting with oil claimed to be better, 727.
pine oil as a substitute for in roof painting, 449.
pure ; slow drying of Venetian red after grinding in, 573.
refining and bleaching for white lead grinding, 533.
required to grind various pigments, 287, 376.
substitutes, 654, 700.
tests for purity of, 59, 482, 739.
tests to detect mineral oil, 130, 232, 456.
Liquid brass cleaner and polish, 655.
(bronzing) for exterior work, 54S.
bronzing, that will hold up heavy bronze, 299.
driers, 739.
filler or shellac, 477.
glue, 24, 372.
wood filler, 27, 659.
Lithopone, 296, 432.
Livering of colors in oil or japan, 211.
Locomotive cabs ; paint blistering, 107.
fronts ; black paint for, 699.
painting, 107, 235.
Loosening wall paper on hard finished walls, 131.
Loss of gloss in linseed oil, 69.
Lubricating oils; deodorizing, 156.
Luminous paint, 271.

for house numbers, 216.
how to apply on glass, 430.
Lusterless varnish, 1 1 1.

Machinery painting, jy.

to stand heat and ammonia vapors, 261.
steel color for painting, 709.
Madder lake, 3, 737.

739 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED. 339

Mahogany counter top ; to finish in wax, 484.

graining, 408.

graining color and ground, 578.

imitated by staining with acid, 606.

oil stain for birch, 453.

stain, 344.

staining and finishing, 658.

to make it imitate old, 332.

water stain for cherry or birch, 583.
Making water colors by the painter, 542.
Manganese resinate, 486.
Mantels, hardwood, finishing, 713.
Maple floors ; treatment of, 149.
varnish for, 274.

graining; color harmbny for, 11.
Marble cement, 168.

polish, 168.

removing grease from, 31.

removing rust and grease spots from, 255.

to clean stains without destroying polish, 195.

Marbleized work ; transparent or colorless varnish for, 663.

Marine paints, 99.

Marshmallow root used in plaster, 704.

Matt gold with burnished outlines on glass, 132.

Mauve, 701.

Measurements and prices, 154.
sign painters', 393.

Medium and pigments for water color painting, 270.
Metal ceilings; paint for, 150.

packages ; darkening of shellac in, 197.

polishing paste, 13a

roofs ; paint for, 326.

signs; filling in letters, 51.

sheet ; tenacious paint for, 593.

to make plush adhere to it, 687.

Metallic brown, 735.

Mildew in basement walls ; to prevent or cure, 527.

Milwaukee brick ; to remove weather stains from, 259.

Mineral black, value of, 272.
brown, 735.
oil; deodorizing, 156.

oil ; test to detect in linseed, 130, 232, 456.
paint; cheap, 65.

Mirrors, frosted ; to produce in a simple way, 250.
to coat backs with quicksilver, 562.
to make, 139, 180, 199, 657.
to silver with quicksilver, 334.

Mixed paints; cheap, 226.
white lead and oil thickening, 601.

340 rs9 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED,

Mixing asphaltum and coal tar, 196.

certain colors, tints and hues, 336.

dry lampblack without grinding, for tinting, 275.

dry red lead and linseed oil, 118.

white lead and zinc for exterior house painting, 730.
Mixtures for dipping articles of hard wood, 550.
Moisture; closing cracks in brick or stone walls to keep out, 666.

effect on gilding on glass, 582.

proof; to make brick walls, 435.

striking through brick or plastered walls, to prevent, 685.
Mold in basement walls ; to prevent or cure, 527.

or efflorescence on brick walls, 546.

removing from wall paper, 41.
Molding cement ; unshrinkable, 468.
Moldings (picture) to bronze, 426.
Molds for casting plaster ornaments, 384.
Morella, 701.

Mortar spots ; to clean from brick walls, 684.
Moss growth on stone or brick ; to remove, 187.
Most permanent black, 12.
Mucilage for labels on tin cans, 300.
Muddy amber, 701.
Mulberry red, 701.
Murrey, 701-

Musical instruments; to finish, 651.
Muslin banners ; filler for, 694.

indelible crayon for lettering without sizing, 589.

lettering on, 145.

painting, 76, 561.

sizing for, 50.

Nails (iron) ; to keep from rusting in wood, 209:

Naphtha, 214.

Natural finish for whitewood and birch with wax polish, 411.

finished light woods ; putty for, 566.

wood finish, 658.
New wood ; to remove fly specks, 182.
Nitric acid test for linseed oil, 482.
Non-drying of paint on interior work, 331.
Non-souring paperhangers' size, 212.
Number of square feet a man can paint in nine hours, 512.

Oak; black statin for, 453.

dark stain, to refinish in cherry, 305.
doors and sash; refinishing, 242.

that are badly weather stained; to refinish, 716.
finished with water stain and wax, 621.
golden, 565.

739 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED. 34i

Oak ;

golden, antique and red; staining cypress and yellow pine to imi-
tate, 370.

paste filler, 409.

veneering, 720.
\ graining color, light, 587.

green glaze for, 594,
green filler for, 594.

finished, natural, with high polish, 579.
Flemish; how to stain and finish, 406.
filling and varnishing so it will not show pitting, 697.
light color for, 53.

parquet floors ; cleaning and preservation of, 349.
quartered, to imitate, 718, 720.
stain, 344.
staining, 146.
staining black, 297.
to stain black, 438.
twentieth century, 720.
weathered ; water stain for, 602.
Obscuring acid for glass embossing, 390. .
Ochers, 738.

French yellpw and American, 140.
white, 207, 528.
(yellow) priming, 364.
Oil and pumice; rubbing with, 600.

and .white lead thickening after being mixed ready for use, 60U

best suited for mixing paint for tin roofs, 188.

boiled, 44.

claimed to be better than linseed, 727.

colors, 732.

colors livering, 211.

dissolving rubber to mix with, 652.

drier that will not change color of oil paints, 532.

drying, 638.

dustless floor, 347.

finish (hard) ; turning white and perishing, 428.

gloss, 224. '

gold size, 551.

linseed ; bleaching, 185.

for outside painting, 358.

iodine and saponification tests for, 253.

is it impaired by freezing, 569.

losing gloss, 69.

required to grind certain pigments, 287, 376.

substitiutes for, 654, 700.

tests for purity, S9, 482.

to test for mineral oil, 130, 232, 456.
mineral; to deodorize, 156.

to detect in linseed, 130, 232, 456.
pine, as a substitute for linseed in roof painting, 449.

342 7S9 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED.

of turpentine, 636.

paint blistering after repeatedly burning off and repainting, 570-
effect of freezing, 22.
gloss to stand outside exposure, 660.

all weather conditions, 204.
that will stand on cement wall, 282.
used on whitewashed walls, 646.
paintings ; cleaning and renovating, 675.

on canvas; removing varnish, 18.
perishing in exposed places, 445.
raw, causing japan colors to curdle, 405.
raw vs. boiled for wagon painting, 647.
shingle stains, 604.
skins (seamen's) ; coating for, 588.

stain for birch to imitate mahogany, and black stain for oak, 453.
test to detect mineral in linseed, 232.
used for grinding white lead, 102.
wood stains, 344.
cheap, for roof painting, 518.
Oilcloth ; paste for, 89.
Old blue, 701.
ivory, 701.

tint, dead finish, 244.
pink, 701.
rose, 701.
One coat white lead for sign work, 189.
Opacity ; loss of in zinc white, 83.

Open grained hardwood; to finish with high polish, 722.
Orange, bright ; how to make, 507.

shellac varnish ; can it be restored to original color if blackened, 632;
Ornaments; decalcomania transfer, 471.
plaster, 704.

plaster ; cement for, 236.
plaster ; molds for casting, 384.
plaster; to clean from smoke, 400.
Outdoor work ; killing knots, 42.
Outside exposure; gloss in oil paint to stand, 660.
painting ; linseed oil for, 358.
stone walls : paint for, 506.
work ; to prepare copper for, 554.
Oxalic acid as a stain remover, 388.
effect on varnish, 313.

Packages ; settling of white lead in, 327.
Paint, aluminum bronze ; vehicle for, 460.
for finishing bathroom, 215.
and varnish removers, 681.

to remove from hobby horses, 365.
amount of japan drier to be used in, 292.

739 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED, 343

Paint,

black, for locomotive fronts, 699.

blackening where not exposed to sunlight, 260.

blistering caused by water, 678.

on floors, 26.

on locomotive cabs, 107.

after repeatedly burning off and repainting, 570.
cheap, 28, 226.
cleaning, 37.
coal tar and mineral, 65.
striking through, 94.
cold water, changing color on drying, 343.
copper, for ships' bottoms, 288.
cork, for interior of iron roof, 464.
cracked ; removing from exterior surfaces, 240.
cracking and flaking, 631.

and peeling on sheltered portion of dwellings, 308.

and peeling on weatherboards, 497.
creeping, 369.
darkening, 105.

dipping; heating in vats, 191.
discoloring and spotting on plastered walls, 266.
does an excess of turpentine cause it to blacken more rapidly? 387.
durability of shellac as a first coat on exterior work, 459.
effect of stable vapors, 74.
enamel ; flowing on, 540.

to prevent settling without injuring drying quality, 525.
exterior; spotting after severe rainstorm, 404.

thinners required, 6.
fading, deadening and sinking in; cause of, 186.

on exterior of foundries, 249.
failing to stand after repainting, 724.
fireproof, 34, 174, 301.

flaking from a priming composed of remnants, 395.
floor; first class, 241.

quick drying, 120.
for blackboards which cannot be scratched by chalk, 714.

brickwork ; to pencil over, 520.

for canoe exterior, 677.

coating steel water tower, 342.

combed walls, 248.

dials of spirit compasses, 87.
for hot steam pipes and radiators, 439.
water pipes and radiators, 277.

iron castings, 116.

iron roofs, 45.

lead water pipes, 119.

metal ceilings, 150.

metal roofs, 326.

outside of white pine water tanks, 683.

outside walls of stone house, 506.

344 739 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED,

Paint,

roughcast surfaces, 229.

rough shedv 691.
work, 86.

sheet metal, 593.

smoke stacks, 487.

tin roof, 148.

oil best suited for, 188.

for turpentine tanks, 16.
from same package varying in shade on house and annex, 397.
graphite; for smokestack, 159.
in dipping vats beaten by steam, 644.
removing from floors, 726.

from hardwood floors, 689.

with carbolic acid and soft soap, 286.
fresh ; eflfect of freezing, 22.
graining over, 5.

is oxalic acid as a stain remover injurious to? 388.
(linseed oil) ; to make dry in few hours, 200.
luminous, 271.

for house numbers, 216.

to apply on glass, 430.
made from paint skins, 620.
marine, 99.

not drying on interior work, 331.
oil drier that will not change the color of, 532.
oil ; gloss in to stand outside exposure, 660.

whose gloss is not affected by weather conditions, ^04.
on whitewashed brick walls, 171.
peeling; can it be due to plastering? 574.

from exterior of building, 488.
galvanized iron, 498.
house and barn, 420.
kalsomine, 635.
putty, 599.

on brick walls, 98.

on hot houses, 72.

on new spruce timber, 412.

off to the plaster on a kitchen wall, 450.
pine or coal tar ; to thin so as to spread without heating, 521.
puzzle in, 627.
remover, 5.
removing from blinds, 173.

from hardwood, 13.
roof, 56.

sanitary, for inside of wooden drinking water tank, 511.
scaling and blistering, 217.
shops: guarding against fire, 177.
skins for roof paint, 56.

paint made from, 620.

to soften and utilize, 407.

739 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED, 345

Paint,

spotting on gable walls, 633.

spots ; to remove from stone and cement pavements, 402.

that has been sanded ; to remove, 622.

will hold on brick walls showing efflorescence, 505.
not peel, 6t.

off rubber cloth carriage tops, 537.
stand without peeling on cement wall, 282.
thickening after being mixed ready for use, 601.
to prevent tin cans rusting in water, 325.
to remove from highly polished leather, 335.
to resist the fumes of acid at fertilizer works, 340.
turpentine in, 23.
U. S. lighthouse, 95.
value of water lime in, 386.
vermilion for dipping, 157.
what can be added to keep away gnats, 491.
white fireproof, for entrance to coal mine, 328.

lead and zinc ; apparent perishing of blues in, 354.
chalking in one year, 355.

repeatedly blackening on north and east exposures, 611.
scaling on yellow pine, 447.

to cover yellow pine with two coats, 112.
Painted brick front ; to renovate, 341.
cheap sizes for walls to be, 728.
letters on glass softening, 590.

ornaments and letters on cloth covered books, 142.
walls and ceilings spotting, 252.

preparing for paper, 133.

to clean, 475.
Painters' cream, 377.

measurements and prices, 154.
(sign) measurements and prices, 393.
Painting and finishing enameled furniture, 363.
average number square feet man can do in nine hours, 512.
brick wall, 458.
brickwork, flat finish, 269.
clapboarding ; cost and labor for, 664.
Colonial house, 152.
copper to prevent discoloration, 68.
engines and ice machinery, ^y.
exposed plaster figures, 25.
exterior cypress lumber, 203.

proportions of white lead and zinc for, 465.

to mix white lead and zinc for, 730.
galvanized iron, 45, 729.

lining of water, tank, 485.
hearse black, 603.
hearse white, 66. '
in distemper : to clean smoky ceilings- for, 504.

imitation of granite, 516.

346 739 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED.

Painting

interior of iron roof with cork paint, 464.
iron fences with asphaltum varnish, 81.

hot water tank in imitation of copper, 422.
stack with lampblack and oil and asphaltum compared, 375.
ironwork; red lead, 118.
kitchen and porch floors, 295.
lincrusta, 92.
locomotive, 235.
machinery ; steel color for, 709.

to stand heat and ammonia vapors, 261.
on cement, 7.

ground glass, 54.

muslin or canvas that is to be rolled, 76.

silk, satin, shirting or linen, 561.

woolen fabric, 80.

velvet and similar fabrics, 562.
or enameling zinc bathtubs, 317.
outside ; linseed oil for, 358.
plaster casts clear white, 481.
plastered brick walls, 21.

walls, 62, 361.
preparing plastered walls for, 218.
roofs; cheap oils for, 518.

pine oil as a substitute for linseed, 449.
steampipes and radiators, 671.
storeroom display table in white, 429.
wagon, raw vs, boiled oil, 647.
walls ; unfading blue, red and yellow for, 625.
water color, 270.
whitewashed brick wall, 298.
with oil claimed to be better than linseed, 72'/.
oil paint on whitewashed walls, 646.
yellow pine ceiling ; preparing for, 597.
zinc, 302.

zinc lined bathtubs, 73.
Paintings, oil ; cleaning and renovating, 675.

on canvas ; removing varnish, 18.
Pale and brown japan driers, 564.
Paper; crayons for drawing on, 378.
glazed; waxes for, 125.

ingrain ; to prevent from drying out spotted, 319.
loosening on hard finished walls, 131.
parting on canvas; to prevent, 213.
pressed; paste for, 114.

to hang, 499.
pulp used as putty, 70.
wall ; applying water colors to plain side of, 712.

hung on damp walls ; spots on, 645.

kalsomining over, 626.

of light blue tint fading, 708.

7S9 FAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED. 347

Paper ;

paste for and pasting, 640.
• removing grease spots from, 680. .
removing mold from, 41.
to clean, 135, 231.

to make stick on newly plastered walls that have been frozen, 586.
to remove without destroying pattern, 201.
^ to wash down and revarnish, 493.
Paperhangers' paste for porous or spongy walls, 421.
that will keep in hot weather, 696.
that will not liquefy, 448.
prepared paste for, 307.
size that will not sour,. 212.
Papering on fresh walls over a size of rosin oil and benzine, 225.
over kalsomined walls, 39.
parlor with beamed and panel ceiling, 158.
size for rough-plastered walls, 396.
wall paper and paint store, 144.
Paris green, 736.
Parlor; finish for, 113.
white and gold, 178.
Parrot green, 701.

Parting of paper on canvas ; to prevent, 213.
Parquet floors (oak) ; cleaning and preservation of, 349.

putty for, 70.
Partitions, board ; to hang burlap on, 320.

Patent driers, 739.

gold lead ; to lay on wood, 524.

Patina ; imitation by wiped verdigris finish, 357.

Paste; alum in, 113.

cleaning ; for show windows, 168.

driers, 739.

filler for golden oak, 409.

for burlap, crepe and buckram, 414.

fastening oil cloth, 89.

painted walls, 133.

polishing metal, 136.

pressed paper, J 14, 640.
paperhangers*, for porous or spongy walls, 421.
paperhangers', that will keep in hot weather, 696.
photographers', 316.
•prepared, for paperhangers, 307.
that will not liquefy, 448, 501.
wood fillers, 345.

Pasting pressed wall paper, 640.

Pavements ; to remove paint spots and stain from, 402.

Peach blossom color, 336.

Pearl drab, 701.
to attach to glass, 710.

348 739 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED.

Peeling and checking after repainting, 470.
and cracking paint on weatherboards, 497.
of paint from galvanized iron, 498.
of paint from house and barn, 420.
from kalsomine, 635.
from putty, 599.
on exterior of building, 488.
to the plaster on a kitchen wall, 450.
can this be due to plastering? 574.
on brick walls, 98.
on hot houses, 72.
on new spruce timber, 412.
on sheltered portion of dwellings, 308.
to prevent, 61.
Perfect yellow, 738.

Perishing, apparent, of Chinese and Prussian blue in white lead and
zinc paint, 354.
of oil in exposed places, 445.
Permanent black, 12.

yellow, 738.
Photographers' backgrounds, 20.

paste, 316.
Piano finishing, 651.

polish for restoring luster, 417.
Picture frames ; gold bronze that will not tarnish, 457.
putty for raised work, 668.
moldings ; to bronze, 426.
Pigments and medium for water color painting, 270.
proportion of linseed oil required for grinding, 287.
quantity of linseed oil required to grind, 376.
Pine, California, keeping back the sap, 611.

oil as a substitute for linseed in roof painting, 449.
staining to imitate birch, 598.

tar paint; to thin so as to spread without heating, 521.
to finish soft to harmonize with hard, 489.
yellow; filler for, 415.
finishing, 97.

refinishing with transparent stain, natural effect, 410.
restoring blackened spots in, 374.
to stain in imitation of golden, antique or red oak, 370.
white lead scaling on, 447.
white and yellow; how to finish, 283.
Pink tints; rapid fading on exposed surfaces, 251.
Pipes, hot water; paint for, 277.
lead ; paint for, 1 19.
steam ; paint for, 439.
stove, black enamel for, 595.

Pitch; Burgundy and Canada, 502.

Pitting; filling and varnishing oak so it will not show, 697.
of varnish, 545.

739 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED. 349»

Plaster casts, broken ; cement for, 267.
bronzing, 78.
to paint clear white, 471.
exposed ; painting, 25.
figures or ornaments ; cement for, 236.
ornaments, 704.

molds for casting, 384.
to clean from smoke, 400.
paint peeling off to, on a kitchen wall, 450.
raised letter signs, 670.
removing water spots from, 194.
roughcast; paint for, 229.
to make set slow, 91.
to quicken drying, 443.
Plastered brick walls; painting, 21.
wall painting, 62.

walls ; cheap blackboard slating for, 389.
filling cracks, 4, 218.
hard and smooth, to coat, 353.

new or whitewashed, to be kalsomined; size for, 624.
paint spotting and discoloring on, 266. '
preparing for painting, 218.
rough ; efflorescence in, 246.

size ; for that will prevent water colors from spotting out, 538.
size for, 356.
stopping suction, 276.

that have been frozen ; to make wall paper stick, 586.
to be coated with kalsomine; stains in, 560.
to paint, 361.

to prevent moisture striking through, 685.
Plastering inside a house; will this cause p^int to peel outside? 574.
Plate glass ; cleaning paste, 168.
Plum color, 336.
Plush car seats ; to dye while in position, 329.

to make adhere to metal, 687.
Pole ; to climb without spurs, 165.
Polish and cleaner for brass, 655.
finish for hard, open-grained wood, 722.
finishing furniture with, 234.
for hardwood table tops, 221.
linoleum, 480, 725.
marble, 168.

restoring luster of pianos, 417.
Polished oak, finished natural, 579.

wood; how done, 513.
Polishing floors, 38.
paste for metal, 136.
sea shells, 616.
Pompeiian red, 701.
Poppyseed oil, 739.
Porch floors ; best way to pamt, 295.

350 739 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED.

Porous walls ; paperhangers' paste for, 421.

Portland stone color, 336.

Preparation for cleaning wall paper, 231.

of sienna by levigation and calcination, 549. ,
Prepared paste for paperhangers, 307.
Preparing kalsomine, 104, 641.

painted walls for paper, 133.

s whitewashed or kalsomined walls for kalsomining, 686.

yellow pine ceiling for painting, 597.
Preservation oak parquet floors, 349.
Preservative for wood ; Carbolineum Avenarius, 206.
Pressed paper; paste for, 114, 640.

wall paper ; to hang, 279, 499.
Prevent ?inc white from turning yellow, 205.
Preventing ceiling paper from parting on canvas, 213.

coal tar from striking through paint, 94.

ingrain paper from drying out spotted, 319.

moisture striking through brick or plastered walls, 685.

or curing mildew in basement walls, 527.

paint from peeling on brick walls, 98.
Prices and measurements, 154.

sign painters', 393.
Priming composed of remnants ; paint flaking from, 395.

i;"on work, 151.

or first coating exterior brick walls, 634.

with yellow ocher, 364.
Proportions of white lead and zinc for exterior painting, 465.
Prussian blue, 734.

apparent perishing in paint, 354.
Puce, 701.

Pulped white lead ; how ground in linseed oil, 526.
Pumice ; rubbing with, 600.

Pure white lead paint scaling on yellow pine, 447.
Putty; 167.

for glazing cast iron sash, 444.

glazing hot houses, 238.

light woods, 566.
parquet floors, 70.
large cracks and holes, 643.
raised work on picture frames, 668.
zinc ornaments, 79.

glaziers', that will not crumble, 394.

glazing, for car and carriage work, 346.

hard; softening to remove window glass without breaking, 71 1^

or cement for aquariums, 33, 539.

paint peeling from, 599.

to remove old, hard, 49.

to soften and remove window glass without breaking, 509.

waterproof, for wooden floors, 280.
Puzzle in paints in Oregon, 627.
Pyrographing on wood and leather, 576.
Pyrography, 576.

739 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED, 351

Quaker green, 736.

Quantity of linseed oil required to grind various pigments, 376.

Quartered oak ; to imitate, 718, 720.

Quick drying floor paint, 120.

size for aluminum and gold leaf, 183.
Quickening drying of plaster, 443.
Quicksilver ; to coat backs of mirrors with, 334, 563.

Radiators and steam pipes ; to paint, 671.

gloss white finish for, 181.

paint for, 277, 439.
Rainstorm in winter calising paint to spot, 404.
Rainbow; colors in, 558.
Raised letter signs of plaster, 670.
Rapid fading of pink tints on exposed surfaces, 251.
Raw linseed oil ; refining and bleaching for white lead grinding, 533.

sienna, 735.

umber, 735.

vs. boiled linseed oil for wagon painting, 647.

oil causing japan colors to curdle, 405.
Reds, 737.
Red birch ; how to finish, 575.

brick wash, 96.

flat brick, 424.

lakes, 737.

lead, 737.

and linseed oil, for painting ironwork, 118.

oak; staining Southern pine and cypress to imitate, 370.

Tuscan, flatting, 143.

unfading, for wall painting, 625.

Venetian, drying slowly after grinding in pure linseed oil, 573.
for staining brick walls, 662.

paint for shingle roofs that will not fade or turn black, 556.
to keep from running on finishing coat, 483.
turning dark on exposure, 403.
Reducing cost of shellac, 474.
Redwood; filler for, 179.

to fill and finish, 359.
Refilling black letters in brass signs, 534,

Refining and bleaching linseed oil for white lead grinding, 533.
Refinishing badly weather stained oak doors, 716.

oak doors and sash, 242.

old furniture; to obtain rich wine-colored effect, 401.

whitewood and light walnut to imitate cherry, 508.

yellow pine in natural eflfect with stain, 410.
Refrigerator; enameling interior in white, 304.
Re-japanning old japanned tin, 318.
Relacquering brass chandeliers, 379.

352 739 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED,

Relief; freehand, 176.

on canvas-covered walls, 531.
Remover; paint and varnish, 5, 681.

(stain) ; is oxalic acid injurious to subsequent coats? 388.

Removing cracked paint from exterior surfaces, 240.

dust, dirt and smoke from painted walls, 10.

fly specks from woodwork, 182.

grease spots from marble, 31.

grease spots from stone, 93, 642.

grease spots from wall paper, 680.

ink stains from floors, 628.

ink stains from light tiling, 351.

mold from wall paper, 41.

moss growth on stone or brickwork, 187.

old hard putty, 49.

old paint and varnish from hobby horses, 365,

wall paper without destroying or blurring pattern, 201.

paint and varnish from floors, 726.

and varnish with carbolic acid and soft soap, 285.

from blinds, 173.

from hardwood, 13.

from highly polished tanned leather, 335.

spots and stains from stone and cement pavements, 402.

that has been sanded, 622.
rust and grease spots from marble, 255.
smalts from old signs, 559.
spots caused by water in ceiling or walls, 194.
varnish from old oil paintings on canvas, 18.

or paint from hardwood floors, 689.
wax or shellac from floors, 619.
weather stain from Milwaukee brick, 259.
white spots from brick and terra cotta, 693.

stains from varnished table tops, 254.
whitewash before kalsomining, 321.
Renewing gilt frames, 496.

Renovating badly cracked zinc white surface, 609.
blackboards on plastered walls, 223.
oil painting, 675.
painted brick front, 341.
Repainting badly rusted smokestack, 490.
bicycles with air-drying enamel, 690.
canoes, 461.

carriage body without removing old paint, 682.
ceiling in water color, 441.

dwelling and roof on which paint has scaled badly, 544.
exterior of dwelling; checking and peeling after, 470.
failure of paint to stand, 724.
golf balls, 309.
rough-plastered walls and ceilings that are spotted and water

stained, 517.
rusty tin roofs, no.

7S9 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED, 353

Repainting T

soft brick that has shelled, 303.

window shades of cloth, 333.
Resinates of lead and manganese, 486.
Restoring blackened spots in yellow pine, 374.

enameled bricks to original color, 650.

gloss of linoleum, 88.

luster of pianos, 417.
Revarnishing ; cleaning cars for, 330.

wall paper, 493.
Roan, 701.
Roof; best shingles for,, 617.

painting; cheap oils for, 518.

cheap paint for, 65.

iron, paint for, 45.

iron ; painting interior of with cork paint, 464.

metal ; paint for, 326.

on which paint has scaled badly ; to repaint, 544.

paint ; paint skins for, 56.

painting ; pine oil as a substitute for linseed, 449.

rusty tin, repainting, no.

(shingle) ; Venetian red paint that will not fade or turn black, 556.

(tin) ; oil best suited for mixing paint, 188.
paint, 148.
Rose lakes, 737.

pink, 737.
Rosewood and mahogany graining color and grounds, 578.

graining color and ground, 578.

graining whitewood caskets to imitate, 596.

stain, 344.

stain for hardwood, 373.
Rosin oil and benzine size ; papering over, 225.
Roughcast surfaces ; paint for, 229.

Rough-plastered walls and ceilings that are spotted and water stained;
to repaint in water colors, 517.
efflorescence in, 246.
size before papering, 396.

size that will prevent water colors from spotting out, 538.
Rough shed; cheap paint for, 691.

work ; paint for, 86.
Roughstuff, 541.

for carriage work, 124.

for sign work, 245.

to keep in good condition, 648.
Rubber cloth carriage tops ; paint that will not crack or peel off, 537.

stamps; ink for, 467.

to dissolve to mix with oil, 652.
Rubber graining color, 29.

varnish for interior work, 615.
Rubbing with pumice and oil or water, 600.
Ruling lines on blackboards, 82.

354 739 PAINT QUESTIONS AN SEVERED,

Running ; to keep Venetian red from — on finishing coat, 483.

Russet yellow, 701.

Rust showing through white lead, 55.

spots ; to remove from marble, 255.
Rusted smokestacks; to repaint, 490.
Rusting ; paint to prevent tin cans from, 325.

to keep iron nails from, 209.
Rusty tin roofs, repainting, no.

S
Saloon bar; to finish, 322.
Saltpeter on brick walls, 546.

on exposed walls, 64.

(efflorescence) on rough-plastered walls, 246.

paint that will hold on walls showing, 505.
Sand-finished walls ; lime-proof greens for kalsomining on, 492.
Sanitary white paint for inside of drinking water tank« Sii«
Sanded paint ; to remove, 622.
Sandstone color, 336.
Sap; to keep back in California pine, 611.
Saponification test for linseed oil, 253.
Sash and doors, oak ; refinishing, 242.

cast iron ; putty for glazing, 444.
Satin; painting on, 561.
Scaled paint ; to' repaint, 544.
Scaling and blistering of paint, 217.

of white lead on yellow pine, 447.

paint; to prevent, 61.
Screens, wire; lettering on, 243.

Screeching ; to prevent in sliding windows and shutters, 423.
Sea-green stain for whitewood, 639.
Sea shells; to clean and polish, 616.
Seamen's oil skins ; coating for, 588.
Seats (caned), to clean, 237.

car ; to dye without removing plush, 329.

(church) that are stained and varnished ; stippling, 703.
Separation of shellac varnish on long standing, 337.
Serviceable floor paint, 120.
Settling of enamel ; to prevent without injuring drying, 525.

white lead in packages, 327.
Shade cloth, to repaint, 333.
Shades, 258.
Sheet iron work, black enamel for, 595.

metal ; tenacious paint for, 593.
Shed, rough; cheap paint for, 691.
Shellac and other varnishes ; spreading capacity of, 553.

brushes ; to clean, 629.

gum; to dissolve, 472.

or liquid filler, 477.

orange, varnish; can it be restored to original color if blackened?
632.

7S9 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED. 355

Shellac

to dissolve in water, 427.
to reduce cost of, 474.
to remove from floors, 619.
varnish darkening in metal packages, 197.
durability as first cost under paint or varnish on exterior work,

459.
that has separated on long standing, 337.

to keep from gumming up, 392.

Shells ; to clean and polish, 616.

Shingle stains, 117.

cheap, 612.

creosote, 385, 547, 604.

durable and fireproof, 695.

linseed oil, 604.

Shingle roofs ; Venetian red paint that will not fade or turn black, 556^

Shingles ; fire-resisting wash for, 478,

for roofs, best, 617.

how to coat, 617.

to dip, 612.

Ship ; copper paint for, 288.

Shirting; painting on, 561.

Should gold leaf be varnished, 362?.

Show cards ; black ink for, 109.

black ink and water colors for, 230.

Show windows ; cleaning paste, 168.

Shutters; removing paint from, 173.

sliding ; to keep from screeching, 423.

Shrimp, 701.

Siennas, 735.

preparation of by levigation and calcination, 549.

Sign boards (smalted) ; gold tarnishing on, 239.

painters' measurements and prices, 393.

work ; how to mix English and American vermilion for, 535.

roughstuflf for, 245.

stenciling in, 577.

writers' black, 733.

Sig^s, brass; cement for filling in, 715.

filling for, 667.

refilling black letters in, 534.

zinc and copper; filling for letters, 227.

chipped glass, 202, 476.

copper and brass, 523.

cut-in ; to apply flock to, 665.

metal; filling in letters, 51.

mixing white lead to cover in one coat, 189.

muslin ; sizing for, 50.

raised letter, of plaster, 670.

removing smalts from, 559.

smalted, on wood or tin, 698.

split glass, 222.

356 739 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED.

Silica for brick or cement wash, 605.

for what used, 433.
Silicate of soda (water glass) for floors, 285.
Silk; painting on, 561.
Silking of varnish, 128.

Silver; quick drying, colorless varnish for, 293.
Silvering glass, 139, 180, 199.
without heat, 391, 462.
mirrors, 657.

with quicksilver, 334.
Sinking in of paint; cause of, 186.
Sixteenth century furniture, 649.

oak, 146.
Size; burnishing, 500.

for aluminum bronze, 463.
aluminum bronze on glass, 479.
aluminum leaf on wood, 416.
burnished and distemper gilding, 551.
exterior of brick, concrete or stone walls, 580, 608.
gilding on glass, 338, 380, 434.
glue, 361.
new or whitewashed plastered walls, to be kalsomined, 624,
plastered walls, 356.
walls to be painted or kalsomined, 729.
whitewashed walls ; lightning driers as, 674.
oil gold, 551.

of rosin oil and benzine ; papering over, 225.

for rough plastered walls that will prevent water colors from spot-
ting out, 538.
rough plastered walls to be pa,pered, 396.
paperhangers', that will not sour, 212.
quick drying for aluminum and gold leaf, 183.
Sizing burlap or canvas for painting, 127.

muslin for lettering, 50.
Skins, chamois ; treatment of, 103.
paint, for roof paint, 56.
(paint) ; paint made from, 620.
(paint) ; to soften and utilize, 407.
Slate color, 336.
Slating, blackboard, for plastered walls, 389.

blackboard; how to prepare and apply, 311.
Sliding windows and shutters ; to keep from screeching, 423.
Slow drying of Venetian red after grinding in pure linseed oil, 573.
Smalted sign boards ; gold tarnishing on, 239.

signs on wood or tin, 698.
Smalts; removing from old signs, 559.
Smoke ; to clean from plaster ornaments, 400.

to remove from painted walls, 10.
Smokestack; attaching block and fall, 161.
badly rusted ; to repaint, 490.
durable paint for, 487.
paint, 159.

739 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED. 357

Smoky ceilings ; to clean before painting in distemper, 504.
Soap; testing comparative value of, 219.

Soda solution and chloride of lime for bleaching darkened wood, 398.
Soft and hard wood filler, 129.

pine door ; finishing to harmonize with hard pine, 489.

wood floors; finish for, 679.
Softening and utilizing paint skins, 407.

hard putty and taking out window glass without breaking, 509.

hard putty to remove window glass without breaking, 711.

japan colors that have become hard, 123.

of letters painted on glass, 590.
Soluble glass for floors, 285.
Sorrel, 701.

Sour; paperhangers' size that will not, 212.
Southern pine ; white lead scaling on, 447.

yellow pine ; to stain in imitation of golden, antique or red oak, 370.
Spirit compasses; paint for, 87.

stain ; black ash, 440.

varnish ; colorless, 175.
Spirits of turpentine, 676.
Spongy walls; paperhangers' paste for, 421.
Spots caused by water in ceiling or walls ; to remove, 194.

on varnish caused by steam, 571.

on wall paper hung on damp walls, 645.

white ; on varnish, 14.
Spotted and stained walls and ceilings; to repaint in water colors, 517.
Spotting and discoloring of paint on plastered walls, 266.

of ingrain paper on drying; to prevent, 319.

of paint after severe rain storm, 404.
on gable walls, 633.

of painted walls and ceilings, 252.

out; size that will prevent water colors from— on rough plastered
walls, 538.
Spouts ; galvanized iron ; to paint, 729.
Split glass signs, 222.

Spreading capacity of shellac and other varnishes, 553.
Spruce timber; paint peeling on, 412.

staining to imitate birch, 598.
Square feet a man can paint in day of nine hours, 512.
Stables ; effect of vapors on paint, 74.
Stack (smoke) badly rusted; to repaint, 490.

smoke; durable paint for, 487.

iron ; painting with lampblack and oil against asphaltum, 375.
Stain; black ash, 440.

black for oak, 453.

ebony, 166.
for floors, 692.

Flemish oak, 406.

green, for woodwork, 515.

for mahogany to imitate old mahogany, 332.

mahogany for birch, 453.

358 739 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED.

Stain;

remedy for clouded effect, 2.

remover; is oxalic acid injurious to subsequent coats? 388.

rosewood, for hardwood, 373.

sea-green, for whitewood, 639.

shingle, 117.

transparent, for refinishing yellow pine, 410.

(water) for oak, 621.
for weathered oak, 602.
to imitate mahogany on cherry or birch, 583.

weather ; to remove from Milwaukee brick, 259.
Stained and varnished church seats ; stippling, 703.

marble ; to clean without destroying polish, 195.

weather, oak door; to refinish, 716.
Staining a violin, 581.

and finishing store fixtures in dark oak that have been stained and
finished in cherry, 305.

brick walls ; Venetian red for, 662.

cypress and Southern yellow pine in imitation of golden, antique
and red oak, 370.

mahogany, 658.

mahogany counter top, 484.

oak, 146.
black, 297, 438.

pine or spruce to imitate birch, 598.

redwood dark green, 179.

with acid to imitate mahogany, 606.

woodwork with acids, 536.
Stains; brick, 164.

in freshly kalsomined walls and ceilings, 306.

in plastered walls to be coated with kalsomine, 560.

to remove from cement and stone pavements, 402.

ink, to remove from floors, 628.
to remove from light tiling, 351.

oil, wood, 344.

shingle ; creosote, 385, 547, 604.
linseed oil, 604.
durable and fireproof, 695.
to produce cheaply, 612.

water, in kalsomine or fresco work, 717.

(white) ; to remove from varnished table tops, 254.
Stamps, rubber ; ink for, 467.
Steam, cause of spots on varnish, 571.

used for beating paint in dipping vats, 644.
Steampipes and radiators, 671.

paint for, 439.
Steel articles; japanning in black, 367.

color for painting machinery, 709.

polished, to bronze, 572.

water tower; coating, 342.
Stenciling in sign work, 577.

7S9 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED. 359

Stencils for lettering on freight cars, 555.
Stippling brush ; to clean, 454.

stained and varnished church seats, 703.
Stone color, 336.

gilding letters on, 106.

pavements ; to remove paint spots and stains, 402.

to fasten cloth permanently to, 706.

to remove grease spots from, 642.

to remove moss growth, 187.

walls ; cement, size or wash for, 580, 608.
closing cracks in to keep out moisture, 666.
Stonework; to remove grease from, 93.

Stopping or waterproofing a wooden tank without injuring the water,
522.

suction in plastered walls, 276.
Store; suggestion for papering, 144.

windows : to gild in winter, 198.
Stove blacking, 399.
Stovepipes and sheet iron work ; black enamel for, 595.

cheap black dip for, 30.
Striping on kalsomine; gold bronze for, 170.

quick drying flake white for, i.
Stucco, 455.
Substitute for gutta percha for insulating, 592.

for linseed oil, 654, 700.
Suction in plastered walls ; stopping, 276.
Sunlight ; bleaching linseed oil, 185.

white lead paint blackening where not exposed to, 260.
Sweating of hard oil finish on interior woodwork, 452.

Table (display) to paint white, 429.

tops; hard wood; durable polish for, 221.
to fasten leather or oilcloth to, 264.
varnished ; to remove white stains from, 254.
varnishing to stand heat, 85.
Tan, 701.

Tank, drinking water; sanitary paint for inside of, 511.
for turpentine ; durable paint for, 16.
water ; paint for outside, 683.
water ; to paint galvanized lining, 485.
wooden; to waterproof without injuring the water, 522.
Tapestry ; to hang for wall decorations, 584.
Tar (coal) and asphaltum; mixing, 196.
paint, 65.

striking through paint, 94.
paint; to thin so as to spread without heating, 521.
Tarnish ; bronze that will not, 548.
gold bronze that will not on picture frames, 457.

36o 7^ PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED,

Tarnishing gold on smalted sign boards, 239.

to keep bronze from, 48.

to keep copper from, 108.

varnish to prevent brass from, 193.
Tea green, 336.

Tenacious paint for sheet metal, 593.
Terra cotta paint, 514.

removing white spots from, 693.
Terra verte, 736.
Testing binding property of glue, 63.

comparative value of soap, 219.

gold leaf, 17.

turpentine, 9.
Tests for linseed oil, 59, 482.

linseed oil ; iodine and saponification, 253.
purity of turpentine, 278.

to detect mineral oil in linseed, 130, 232.
Textiles, fireproofing, 84.

Thickening of white lead and oil after being mixed ready for use, 601.
Thinners, 739.

required in exterior paint, 6.
Thinning pine tar or coal tar paint to spread without heating, 521.

varnish that has become too stout, 618.
Tiled floor ; to retain brightness, 656.
Tiling; to remove ink stains from, 351.
Tin cans ; mucilage for labels on, 300.
paint to prevent from rusting, 325.

(japanned) ; to keep dry bronze from sticking, 446.
to re-japan, 318.

japanning, 348.

roof paint, 148.

oil best suited for, 188.

roofs, repainting, no.

smalted signs on, 698.
Tinted cold water paint changing color, 343.
Tinting value of oil colors, 732.
Tints; composition of, 701.

to mix, 336.
Tools for gilding, 147.
Top dressing and leather preservatives, 495.

for carriages, 153.
Touching up or renovating blackboards on plastered walls, 223.
Tower (steel, water) ; coating with asphaltum paint or varnish, 342.
Transfer ornaments; decalcomania, 471.
Transparent colors, testing, 732.

liquid wood filler, 27.

or colorless varnish for marbleized work, 663.

stain for refinishing yellow pine, 410.

varnish (colored) for incandescent light globes, 382.
Treatment of maple floors, 149.

of varnished floors before revarnishing, 281.

139 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED, 361

Turpentine, 739.

difference between spirits and Venice, 676.

does an excess cause exterior oil paint to blacken more rapidly? 387.

in paint, 23.

oil of, 636.

tanks; paint for, 16.

testing for purity, 9, 278, 739.

Venice, 636.
and crude, 324.
Tuscan brown, 701.

drab, 701.

red flatting, 143.
Twentieth century oak, 720.
Two coats of white paint to cover yellow pine, 112.

Ultramarine, 734.

Umbers, 735.

Unfading blue, red and yellow for wall painting, 625.

Unshrinkable molding cement, 468.

Utilizing paint skins, 407.

U. S. Lighthouse paint, 95.

Value of iodine and saponification tests for Jinseed oil, 253.

vellum to the painter, 494.
Vandyke brown, 735.

drab, 701.
Vapors in stables ; effect on paint, 74.
Varnish and paint removers, 681.

asphaltum; on iron fences, 81.

blistering and checkering on boats, 567.

brushes; cleaning, 162.

chilling in cold weather, 58.

colored, for incandescent light globes, 382.

cracking on graining, 43.

crawling, 52.

durability of shellac as first coat on exterior work, 459.
• effect of oxalic acid on, 313.

finish for floors, 722.

fire checks in, 47.

flatting, 623.

for coating steel water tower, 342.
hard maple floors, 274.
wagon work, 233.

is oxalic acid used as a stain remover injurious? 388.

leather, 661.

or enamel ; flowing on, 540.

pitting, 545.

quick drying, colorless, for silver, 293.

362 7S9 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED,

Varnish
remedy for clouded effect, 2.
remover, g.

removing from floors. 726.
hardwood floors, 689.

old oil paintings on canvas, 18.
with carbolic acid and soft soap, 286.
rubbed, for interior work, 615.
(shellac) brushes ; to clean, 629.
darkening in metal packages, 197.
durability of as first coat on exterior work, 459.
that has separated on long standing, 337.
to keep from gumming up, 392.
silking or enameling, 128.
spirit; colorless, 175.
spots on caused by steam, 571.
to prevent brass from tarnishing, 193.
to remove from hobby horses, 365.
to thin when it has become too stout, 618.
transparent or colorless for marbleized work, 663.
white spots on, 14.
without luster, 121.
Varnished and stained church seats ; stippling, 703.
floors; treatment before revarnishing, 281.
should gold leaf be? 362.
table tops that will stand heat, 85.

to remove white stains from, 254,
shellac and other ; spreading capacity of, 553.
Varnishing oak so it will not show pitting, 697.

wall paper, 493.
Varying shade of paint from same package on house and annex, 397.
Vehicle for aluminum bronze paint, 460.
Vellum, 494, 701.

Velvet and similar fabrics ; painting on, 562.
Veneering, golden oak, 720.
Venetian red, 737.

drying slowly after griding in pure linseed oil, 573.
for staining brick walls, 662.

paint for shingle roofs that will not fade nor turn black, 556.
to keep from running on finishing coat, 483.
turning dark on exposure, 403.
Venice turpentine, 324, 636, 676.
Verd antique effects, 557.
Verdigris, 736.

finish, wiped, in imitation of patina, 357.
on copper ; to prevent, 68.
Vermilion, 737.
dipping paint, 157.

English, American and imitation, 273.
English and American ; how to mix for sign work, 535.
Vermilionettes, 737. '

739 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED. 363

Verona green, 736.

Violet ; to mix, 336.

Violin; to stain, 581.

Violins and bows; to clean, 510.

Wagons, bakers* delivery; coating on inside to prevent bulging, 302.

Wagon painting ; raw vs. boiled oil, 647.
work ; gold bronze in place of leaf, 425.
varnish for, 233.

Wall painting ; unfading blue, red and yellow for, 625.

Walls and ceilings; color combinations for, 381.
spotting, 252.

that are spotted; to repaint in water colors, 517.
to clean, 10.
board ; to hang burlap on, 320.
brick, concrete or stone ; cement, size or wash for, 580, 608.

laid in cement, to enamel, 208.

mold or efflorescence on, 546.

or plastered ; to prevent moisture striking through, 635.

paint peeling, 98.

priming or first coating, 634.

showing efflorescence ; paint that will hold, 505.

to clean mortar spots, 684.

to make waterproof, 435.

to paint, 458.

Venetian red for staining, 662.

whitewashed ; to paint, 298.
canvas covered; freehand relief on, 531.
cement ; paint that will stand without peeling, 282.
cheap blackboard slating for, 389.
combed, 248.
damp, 60.

cause of spots in paper, 645.

cure for in basements and cellars, 220.
decorations ; tapestry and burlap, 584.
efflorescence on, 64.
hard, smooth plastered ; to coat, 353.
hard ; to treat for hanging tapestry and burlap, 584.
kalsomined, papering over, 39.
kalsomined; stains in, 306.
kitchen ; paint peeling off to plaster, 450.
new or whitewashed plastered; size for kalsomining, 624.
painted; to clean, 475.
painted; to prepare for paper, 133.
papering over a size of rosin oil and benzine, 225.

364 739 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED.

plastered brick; painting, 21.
filling cracks, 4.

paint spotting and discoloring on, 266.
size for, 356.
stopping suction, 276.

that have been frozen ; to make wall paper stick, 586.
to be coated with kalsomine ; stains in, 560.
to paint, 62, 361.

porous or spongy; paperhangers* paste for, 421.

renovating blackboards on, 223.

roughcast ; paint for, 229.

(rough-plastered) efflorescence in, 246.
size before papering, 396.
size that will prevent water colors from spotting out, 538.

spotting of paint on, 633.

stone ; paint for, 506.

to be kalsomined or painted ; cheap sizes for, 728.

to fasten burlap to, 172.

to make white lead dry dead flat, 289.

whitewashed brick; will paint stand on? 171.

lightning driers as a size, 674.

or kalsomined ; to prepare for kalsomining, 686.

painting with oil paint on, 646.

Wall paper; alum in paste for, 113.

applying water colors to plain side of, 712.

hanging heavy embossed or pressed, 277.

hung on damp walls; spots on, 645.

kalsomining over, 626.'

light blue, fading. 708.

loosening on hard walls, 131. .

preparing painted walls for, 133.

pressed; paste for, 114.

pressed ; paste for and pasting, 640.

pressed ; to hand, 499.

removing grease spots from, 680.

removing mold from, 41.

to clean, 135,231.

to make stick on newly plastered walls that have been frozen, 586,

to remove without destroying or blurring pattern, 200.

to wash down and revarnish, 493.

Walnut, light ; refinishing to imitate cherr>^, 508.
stain, 344.

Warm colors as against cold colors, 258.
olive, 701.
olive green, 701.
russet olive, 701.

Wash, fire-resisting, for shingles, 478.

for exterior of brick concrete or stone walls, 580, 608.
Washing down and re-varnishing wall paper, 493.

739 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED. 36s

Water and pumice ; rubbing with, 6cx>.
cause of paint blistering, 678.
color for show cards, 230.

lining on, 383.

made by the painter, 542.

painting, pigments and medium, 270.

repainting ceiling in, 441.

size that will prevent spotting out on rough-plastered walls, 538-

to apply to plain side of wall paper, 712.
glass for floors, 285.
lime ; its value in paint, 386.
pipes, lead; paint for, 119.
solution of gum shellac, 427.
spots on ceiling or walls ; to remove, 194.
stain and wax finish for oak, 621.

black ash, 440.

for weathered oak, 602.

to imitate mahogany on cherry or birch, 583.
stained rough plaster; how to repaint in water colors, 517.
stains in kalsomine and fresco work, 717.
paint changing color on drying, 343.

for cement wall, 282.
tank (hot) ; to paint in imitation of copper, 422.

sanitary white paint for inside of, 511.

to paint galvanized lining, 485.

white pine; paint for outside, 683.
tower, steel ; coating, 342.
Waterproof cement, 719.
cement for china, 723.
cloth, 137.

putty for wooden floors, 280.
wash for bricks, 96.
Waterproofing brick walls, 435.

wooden tank without injuring the water, 522.
Wax and water stain finish for oak, 621.
finish (floors), 722.

for interior work, 721.

various kinds of wood, 315.
mahogany counter top, 484.
finish in color, 138.

polish finish for whitewood and birch, 411.
for polishing hardwood floors, 614.
to remove from floors,
for glazed papers, 125.
Waxing floors, 339.

old hard pine floors, 630.
floors that have been partly oiled, 351.
WeatHerbeaten houses ; economy in repainting, 707.
stain; to remove from Milwaukee brick, 259.
stained oak doors ; to refinish, 716.
Weathered oak ; water stain for, 602.

366 7S9 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED,

White acid for glass embossing, 390.
and gold parlor, 178.
finish for storeroom display table, 429.
fireproof paint, 328.
flake; quick drying for striping, i.
gloss finish for radiators, 181.

finish in bathroom turning red, 265.
hearse; to paint, 66.
ivory; how to produce, 310. *

White lead, 731. ■

and oil ; cost and labor for painting clapboarding with, 664.

paint blackening where not exposed to direct sunlight, 260.
thickening after being mixed ready for use, 601.
and zinc paint ; apparent perishing of blues in, 354.
turning black in streaks, 519.
to mix for exterior house painting, 730.
proportions of for exterior painting, 465.

blowpipe test for, 601, 731.
dry ; how pulped and ground in linseed oil, 526.
grinding ; kind of oil used, 102.

refining and bleaching raw linseed oil for, 533.
in oil and dry lampblack chalking, 262.

hardening under water, 121.
iron rust showing through, 55.
paint chalking in one year, 355.

repeatedly blackening on north and east exposures, 610.

scaling on yellow pine, 447.
settling in packages, 327.
test for dry, 731.
thinners required, 6.
to cover in one coat on sign work, 189.
to make dry dead flat on walls, 289.
unsuitable for priming iron work, 151.

with an excess of turpentine cause outside paint to blacken more
rapidly? 387.

White, lithopone, 296.
ocher, 207, 528.
paint ; graining over, 5.

sanitary for inside of wooden drinking water tank, 511.

to cover yellow pine with two coats, 112.
pine door ; to finish to harmonize with yellow pine, 489.

finish for, 283.

water tanks ; paint for, 683.
spots on brick and terra cotta ; removing, 693.

on varnish, 14.
stains ; to remove from varnished table tops, 254.
to paint plaster casts, 481.
zinc, see "zinc white."
Whitewash, 192.

to remove before kalsomining, 321.

739 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED. 367

Whitewashed brick wall ; to paint, 298.
will paint stand on? 171.
ceilings; kalsomining, loi.
plastered walls to be kalsomined ; size for, 624.
walls ; lightning driers as a size, 674.
painting with oil paint on, 646.
to prepare for kalsomining, 686.

Whitewood caskets ; graining to imitate rosewood, 596.
colorless varnish for, 175.
refinishing to imitate cherry, 508.
sea-green stain for, 639.
to finish with wax polish, 411.

Whiting, 122.

Willow green, 336.

Window glass; to remove without breaking, 509, 711.

shades ; to repaint, 332.

Windows (store) ; to gild in winter, 198.
cleaning paste, 168.
and shutters ; to keep from screeching, 423.

Wine colored effect in refinishing old furniture, 401.

Winter; gilding store windows in, 198.

rain storm causing paint to spot, 404.

Wiped verdigris finish in imitaion of patina, 357.

Wire screens ; lettering on, 243.

Wood articles ; groundwork for bronzing, 263.

darkened ; to bleach, 398.

impregnating with cement, 40.

filler; for soft and hard wood, 129.

filler, liquid, 27, 659.

fillers ; paste, 345.

green stain for, 515.

killing knots in, 141.

natural, finish, 658.

polishing, 513.

preservative; Carbolineum Avenarius, 206.

pyrographing on, 576.

size for laying aluminum leaf on, 416.

smalted signs on, 698.

stains, 344.

to lay patent gold leaf on, 524.

to remove fly specks, 182..

wax finish for, 315.
Wooden floors ; waterproof putty for, 280.

tank ; to waterproof without injuring the water, 522.
Woods, light ; putty for, 566.
Woodwork ; staining with acids, 536.

to grain mahogany, 408.
Woolen cloth ; painting on, 80.
Wrought iron work ; flat black for, 466.

368 729 PAINT QUESTIONS ANSWERED,

Yellows, 738.

Yellow (French) for floors, 368.
ocher priming, 364.
ochers ; French and American, 140.
pine ceiling ; to prepare for painting, 597.
' filler for, 415.
finish for, 283.
finishing, 97.

refinishing natural with transparent stain, 410.
restoring blackened spots in, 374.
to cover with two coats of white paint, 112.
to stain in imitation of golden, antique or red oak, 370.
white lead scaling on, 447.
unfading, for wall painting, 625.
Yellowing of zinc white ; to prevent, 205.

Zinc and white lead paint ; apparent perishing of blues in, 354*
turning black in streaks, 519.
proportion of for exterior painting, 465.
to mix for exterior house painting, 730.
bath tubs; painting or enameling, 317.
lined bath tubs ; to paint, 73.
painting on, 302.
putty for, 79.

signs ; filling for letters in, 227.
white, loss of opacity, 83.

surface badly cracked ; to renovate, 609.

thinners required, 6.

to prevent from turning yellow, JOS.

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Full text of "739 paint questions answered; a reference encyclopedia answering knotty problems that confront the painter, decorator, and paint manufacturer in their everyday work, with complete topical index"

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